History Lessons
by Echo Hunter
Summary: Kagome was called in to give the presentation on the new Sengoku Jidai Showcase at the Museum. A pair of familiar golden eyes had her grasping for threads of her broken reality only to discover she wasn't as alone as she originally thought.
1. A Blast From the Past

Hi everybody…

I know that I should not be posting this, especially with three unfinished stories under my belt, but I couldn't help it. I really couldn't. Because this story is an extra one and came after Alpha and Omega, I will not be posting every week. Well, let's be honest. I've had a lot of fun writing this story so I might post every week, but don't plan it, just so you're not disappointed if I don't.

Of course reviews always help…

Echo

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CHAPTER 1: A Blast From the Past

The ringing. It was unnatural. It was ungodly. And the only reason such a noise had been created was so someone could call her and tell her it was the end of the world and she should hide in the underground shelter she did not have in her apartment. That was the only reason people called before the sun was up.

A blind hand fumbled out of its warm sheet, up and over the side of the nightstand, and onto a small vibrating cell phone. It was brought back to a groggy head, lost under a bush of black hair.

"Hello?"

"Kagome-san?"

"Hn?"

"Did I wake you up?"

"…"

"This is Aya from the museum. There is a large group of donors coming to take a tour of the new exhibit today and the guide that was assigned to them got in a car accident late last night."

"Hn."

"I know you worked your other job last night and probably zonked out once you got home so I took the chance of waking you up."

"Donors. Uh huh."

"We need you to come and fill in for Seiko if you will please."

Too much talking. Kagome wasn't catching all the words. The name and voice sounded familiar. What was she saying? Kagome's first attempt at speaking real words ended up as morning growls. "Summarize," came out after she cleared her throat.

Aya repeated herself. "We need you here at 9 am to present your showcase of the Sengoku Jidai."

"Time."

"The time now is 7am. You have two hours to be here."

Kagome was near the point of clear consciousness when she heard the current time. "It's not 7. It's still dark outside."

Aya laughed to herself. "If you go to your bedroom window and move the black rug you call a curtain, you'll see the sun."

"Yeah yeah. Two hours. Got it."

"Okay, see you then."

"Bye."

That was probably the longest conversation Kagome ever had in the morning. If she were in a clearer state of mind, she would have remembered the specific instructions left with Aya regarding calling her before noon. If she would have remembered that minor but significant piece of information, she would have remembered that Aya had also been instructed to call her every five minutes until she heard the shower running in the background.

"Fine, fine! Can you hear it now?" Kagome growled into the earpiece.

Aya smiled at her desk. "I hear it. Congratulations. I only had to call four times."

And with that last click, Kagome threw her phone on her bed and stepped into her shower.

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A knock was the only warning he got before his office door opened.

"Sekiguchi-sama, you are scheduled to be at the museum at nine a.m., your limo is waiting downstairs. There is a luncheon with the museum curator and his staff at eleven a.m., where your presence was requested. I moved your one o'clock to two so there will be no rush should you need more time. I will alert you of further appointments once you return and send you any important information by text."

"Very well," Sekiguchi said. "I will be out in a few mintes." With that, papers were grabbed and put into a briefcase and Sekiguchi was in the elevator and on his way to the parking garage with briefcase in hand.

The limo pulled up to the curb at the museum a half hour later. Morning traffic was already on the decline; his coffee was at the perfect temperature. Now all he had to do was make it into the museum without incident and peruse the showcases until it was time to meet with the others.

Sekiguchi stepped out of the limo as the driver held the door open for him. A taxi pulled up behind his limo and a rather disheveled but good-smelling woman stepped out. After straightening out her pants-suit, he watched her throw a wad of cash through the passenger window.

"Thanks, Akihiro. You saved my life and got me here a half hour early."

"No prob," he heard the driver yell. "You shouldn't be working so hard."

The woman laughed. "Tell my slave driver that. I wasn't even on the schedule today. The other girl got in an accident last night."

"Well, don't pass out on your way in."

"Right. I'll call you when I get off work." The taxi pulled away from the curb but his eyes never left the woman. Her hair was pulled back into a pony tail, sunglasses adorned her face, long and lightly athletic legs, that he could only imagine…She held a file of papers in one hand with a cup of steaming something in the other. She looked at him and all he saw was an eyebrow raise in question.

"What? Never seen a yellow limo before?" The woman said before continuing on her way.

Ugh. Humans.

So his male ego may have been a bit chaffed at the fact that the woman spared him no second look or really even a first look. Perhaps that was what upset him the most he decided as he followed her into the massive building.

"Good morning, Kagome," the receptionist said.

So that was the woman's name.

"You shouldn't use oxymorons before lunch," was Kagome's reply.

And it appeared she wasn't a morning person.

"Right. Miss Aya is waiting for you-"

"I'm right here," said the smaller woman approaching Kagome.

Sekiguchi was content to watch what should be a slightly interesting conversation from what he had pieced together following the woman into the museum..

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"Why am I here again?" Kagome asked the overly effervescent Aya.

"Because Seiko got in a car accident-"

"blah blah blah. No, the other part."

Aya frowned. "Now you're just being insensitive."

Kagome took a sip of her drink. "Don't start with me. I was there when they wheeled her in and she was way past the legal limit for booze and driving. I have no sympathy for the stupid."

Aya just shook her head.

Kagome removed her sunglasses and tucked them into her breast pocket. "Where am I picking them up?"

"Conference room one. Be there ten 'til so we can introduce you and they can ask their questions-"

"Hold on, Aya, sorry-" then turning around to see the guy who's limo she pulled up behind, "if you wanna listen, you might as well come over here already." Kagome was irritated. She could feel that guy's eyes burning into her back. His demonic aura had followed her from the curb and chose a spot on the side, still focused on her.

"Kagome, that's-"

"What were you saying?" But Aya ignored Kagome and turned to the stranger approaching them.

"Sekiguchi-sama. I apologize for Miss Higurashi. She is not…feeling well this morning."

Kagome vaguely recalled that name as being an important one. Fine, she would be nice but only because Aya looked so determined to save face. She turned around.

"I apologize that you were unfortunate enough to encounter me before my morning fix. I just got off my shift at the ER a few hours ago. It seems that one of our irresponsible employees got herself drunk and crashed into a pole, leaving me to save her life and now her job."

Kagome knew Aya was upset at her sorry excuse for an apology but she was honestly too tired to care. With only three hours of sleep, it would take a while for her cocoa to kick in and warm her spirit and mind.

"Sekiguchi-sama, may I introduce Higurashi Kagome, Director of Ancient History of our museum. Kagome, this is Sekiguchi-_sama_, _President_ of Sekiguchi Industries, leading company in medical and warfare technology."

Kagome lifted her hand for a handshake and Sekiguchi played along with it to her surprise. But when their hands touched, Kagome dropped her cup of steamy cocoa. It splattered all over the floor and on his pants and shoes, not that either of them noticed.

The shock she felt at the contact was one that Kagome had become a stranger to over the years. That powerful youki was concentrated in his hand on purpose. That jerk! She knew he meant to make her feel intimidated and she would have been if she was a normal human without miko powers. His hand was probably singed because Kagome's reaction was one of an instinctual protection. When she looked up to see Sekiguchi's reaction she saw him looking from his smoking hand to her with narrowed golden glowing eyes.

"Miko."

It was a statement saying he knew _what_ she was, not _who_ she was but Kagome couldn't distinguish between the two at the moment. Too many memories caused her to super-impose a crescent moon on his forehead and two magenta stripes on either cheek, sending her mind into shock.

Her body seized up and she managed a strangled, "Sesshoumaru?" and saw his eyes widen before fainting dead away, only to be caught by two strong arms she wouldn't remember.


	2. Touring the Sengoku Jidai

Howdy!

I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter and I hope the second one is far better! We'll see though…

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CHAPTER 2: Touring the Sengoku Jidai

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"Kagome?"

She could hear someone calling her name.

"Kagome!"

Kagome groaned as she opened her eyes to the inside of the employee's lounge. "What happened?"

Aya was at her side. "You fainted after you shook Sekiguchi-sama's hand."

"Where is he?" Kagome groaned as she sat up. Today was going to be a long day if she couldn't get some migraine meds in her system.

"He went to the bathroom to clean off the cocoa you spilled on his pants and shoes."

A headache was building behind her eyes. "Ugh. Today's not gonna be good."

"I got you more cocoa." Aya lifted the Styrofoam cup from the floor beside her and handed it to Kagome.

"Correction, this day is getting better. Thanks Aya." Kagome took the ambrosia from Aya's hand and sipped the warm drink.

"No problem. But we need to get going as soon as we can. The tour will start in a couple of minutes."

"Right. Lead the way."

"Are you going to be okay?" Aya's eyes darted to Kagome, not really sure if she should let her give the tour.

"I'm as fine as I'm ever going to be," Kagome said as she smoothed her hair out and straightened her clothes.

As they neared the conference room, Kagome grew more and more nervous. That man looked so much like Sesshoumaru; the hair, the eyes, the manner. Well, whatever happened, she couldn't let him see she was nervous. He ate that stuff up for breakfast. Just as she neared the doors, a hand shot out from the side and grabbed the door handle.

Kagome's eyes followed the arm up to the head and saw Sekiguchi standing there, opening the door for her and Aya.

With a respectful bow, Kagome apologized politely. "Sekiguchi-sama. I am sorry for spilling my drink on your person." The look on his face told Kagome that the only reason he held the door open for them was because there were other people were around. What a dick. "Your ethereal beauty was too much of a shock for me to handle so early this morning." Kagome walked right past him and a very shocked Aya to greet the men awaiting their tour.

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Sekiguchi did not miss the chocolate-coated sarcasm and followed the women into the room. He took the open seat towards the front and watched Kagome stand before him to start her presentation.

"Gentlemen, thank you for coming to Tokyo Museum this morning. My name is Kagome Higurashi and I am the Director of Ancient History. Tokyo Museum would like to thank you for all your donations that have helped to fund some of the very artifacts that you will see today. We, at the museum, invite you to stay after your tour for a luncheon that is being held in your honor.

"Let me tell you why you are here." Kagome handed out a packet to each person at the table. "This is a packet prepared specifically for each of you, telling you how your donations were used. The one thing that you all have in common is that a part of your donations were used to put together the newest section in our museum, the Sengoku Jidai.

Sekiguchi's head turned. The Sengoku Jidai. How interesting.

"The second half of the Muromachi period is referred to as the Sengoku Jidai, which covers the years between 1393 and 1567, also known as the Warring States Era or Feudal Era as we learned in school. This time period happens to be one of my favorites because of the instability of leadership.

"Please bear with me while I share some personal history with you that I feel is necessary to understand the showcase. After I finished high school, I went on to study Ancient Japanese History and Archaeology. I grew up on a shrine with a priest for a grandfather who had a collection of ancient artifacts. All through my life he told me stories of his different items and it wasn't until I finished my schooling that I actually believed they were legit. My grandfather is kind of eccentric."

A few men chuckled, relating to her already.

"So, with permission, I took some of his artifacts to my labs and had other archaeologists look at them as well and many of the artifacts in the Sengoku showcase are those very items my grandfather had told me about all my life. Since then, I have brought many of my grandfather's artifacts to this museum to share with the world instead of keeping them at home where the only thing that saw them was my dust rag.

"That is my attachment to this showcase and the reason I wish to be your guide today. I want to give you the full history of the items and not just some text book version. When I say the full history, I mean to tell you about the demons of the past as well."

Sekiguchi watched as Kagome's eyes shifted towards him and then back to everyone else.

Who was this human woman? Surely her name sounded familiar. Maybe he had just seen her name on Tokyo Museum paraphernalia. Or maybe not. But he swore he heard her call him Sesshoumaru. And she looked at him after mentioning demons.

"If you will all please follow me, I will take you to the exhibit."

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It was unnerving, the feel of those hazel eyes burning into her back as she led the group from showcase to showcase. Kagome did her best to ignore it though. They finally reached the reason for this specific tour.

"Gentlemen, it is my honor to welcome you to the Sengoku Jidai." Kagome pulled down the large black cloth that hung from two showcase panels opposite sides of the room.

The men walked around, very interested in what their money was being used for. And by the sounds of it, they approved very much.

"What you are looking at is a culmination of three hundred years of history, ranging from house hold items to demonic weapons to the journal of a line of mikos, protectors of the village that Tokyo used to be. If you have any questions, please ask me. I will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have."

The men looked around but most stopped in front of one display in particular. On small wooden rack lay an old, worn sheathe with several cracks in it. And below it on another rack lay Tessaiga in its full glory, chinks, chips and scratches. In front of the sword was a small oyster shell with a medium-sized dull pink jewel.

A small man with large glasses stepped forward. "Miss Higurashi. Will you tell us the story behind this sword?"

Kagome sighed. Which story should she tell? "As you all may or may not know, during the Sengoku era there were four cardinal lords. But there is nothing that says those cardinal lords were human, ruling over humans.

"The mikos in the pre-Tokyo village kept logs of important dealings, occurrences, anything significant that should not be forgotten. In the journal to the right of this showcase, is the story of Tessaiga and its brothers who are no longer with us. They were created by the lord of the West, a great and powerful demon who believed in honor and who had a great love for the people, demons and humans under his rule.

"To protect that which he loved, the demon lord created two swords. One other sword in his possession made up the three Swords of Supreme Conquest. The first sword that this great lord made was Tenseiga, the sword of heaven and the bringer of life. It was said that one swing of Tenseiga could bring back a hundred dead. The second sword was the sword of earth, Tessaiga, protector of human life that could kill one hundred demons in one swing. This is the sword you see. The third sword was Sou'unga, a sword that could only be wielded by the most powerful. Only demons more powerful than the Lord of the West could wield Sou'unga without succumbing to the demonic spirit that possessed this great and terrible sword. Sou'unga could open the gates of hell and command the spirits that resided there.

"This great lord was not long-lived however. His death came early for one of his kind but the lord left behind two sons. The older son inherited the sword of heaven and the younger son inherited the Tessaiga. Sou'unga was sealed away, intended to not be owned by anyone ever again. The mission of the Tessaiga was to protect the protector of the Shikon Jewel. To give you the shortened version of the story, the miko who protected the jewel accidentally broke it one day after a demon stole it from her. It took the second son and his group three and a half years to complete the jewel again and make a wish on it that would end its existence."

This woman's story was far too accurate to have been learned from a miko's journal, but then again maybe the mikos who kept the journals did an exceptional job. He wanted to know how much more this woman knew.

"And what happened to the other two swords, Miss…"

"Higurashi," another man finished for him. Sekiguchi watched Kagome's smile get a little brighter.

"Tenseiga, I assume is with the family of the eldest brother. Legend has it that Sou'unga was destroyed by the two brothers and sent to hell for all eternity."

"Why was it not given to the eldest also?" he asked next.

Kagome swallowed again but her eyes never left his. The glazed look in the woman's eyes told him she was recalling old memories. "From what I know, after his father's death and for a few hundred centuries, the oldest son was a selfish, power-hungry demon. It wasn't until after learning the purpose of the other two swords that he finally relented and gave in to his inheritance. But Sou'unga was already gone; his father's wish was that no one would that evil sword again. The eldest son was the only other demon who would have been strong enough to silence Sou'unga."

They were interrupted by a man in the group. "You seem to know a lot about this sword, Higurashi."

Kagome cleared her throat and her mind of the lost memories. A smile adorned her face. "Some people call it an obsession. I call it actively engaged in the pursuit of knowledge."

The man continued on. "Is this Tessaiga also from your private collection?"

"Yes sir, my most prized addition." What these men didn't know was that the sword they saw was an exact replica of Tessaiga. Maybe not so much a replica as it was a construction from a picture Kagome had taken of Inuyasha one day while he practiced in the shrine's courtyard.

Another half hour was spent answering questions and just as they finished their tour, Aya appeared again and informed them it was time for lunch. She led the small group to a room near the cafeteria where they would have their luncheon. Kagome took one more loving look at Tessaiga before turning around to join Aya, only to bump into a large, solid chest.

"I'm sorry, Sekiguchi-san. We should probably join up with everyone." He followed Kagome's gaze to Aya who only winked at her before leading the group away.

"Not before you answer my questions." He grabbed her elbow. "Who did you mistake me for earlier?"

Kagome stiffened. He heard her. "No one. Merely a dying memory." The sadness and despair that surrounded this mystery woman pulled at him in a strange way.

"And how is it that you know so much about those swords?"

"The history of swords has been a hobby of mine since I was younger." Sekiguchi smelled no lie on her. "Now please let me go."

"Do not be difficult. Tell me what you know and do not bother calling on your miko powers to free you. I am more powerful than you can ever hope to be." Sekiguchi knew she wasn't telling him the whole truth. Her body trembled, she was hiding something from him.

Her silent rage and electric miko powers thrummed beneath her skin. He could feel it under his fingertips. With barely controlled anger, Sekiguchi said, "You will tell this Sekiguchi what you know or I will make your life miserable."

Sekiguchi felt her confusion and watched her eyes as they studied his face. He was unaware that his demands brought up even more memories for the miko to feed on. A light finger traced over his forehead in a half circle, then moved to his left cheek to trace over two lines, only to be repeated on the other side.

Sekiguchi didn't expect her tears to drown out all other scents except that of her joy. He stiffened when he felt her arms wrap around his neck and she buried her face under his hair.

"What are you doing?" he could only whisper.

"I was beginning to think it was all a dream." He could feel her tears dripping onto his collar, her breath on his neck, making him rigid. "I'm so happy you found me, but then I knew when I saw you this morning that you were too stuck up to be a mere human." When he tensed up, he heard her whisper, "It's okay, Sesshoumaru. I won't tell anyone who you are."

That had him defensive and pulled the girl away from him. "Who are you, to call me Sesshoumaru?"

He watched as the woman wiped her eyes and smiled up at him. "What other demon has your markings?" she asked with confidence. The woman looked to his face again and turned to his reflection in the mirror. With a glance at a nearby showcase, Sekiguchi saw his family markings, the crescent moon on his forehead and the magenta stripes on his cheek. She disarmed his spell!

With a snarl, he released the woman's arms. He closed his eyes and mumbled something but as soon as he opened his eyes again, his reflection told him that his concealment spell had been reactivated. Who was this woman that she could break through his concealment with only a touch?

"Sesshoumaru? Are you okay?" When he said nothing, the woman said, "You really don't remember me huh? I'm that little insignificant miko that traveled with your brother, looking for the jewel shards." When she saw no signs of recognition she added, "You know, the one who pulled Tessaiga out of your father's tomb with her weak human hands?" Kagome saw the recognition flash through his eyes. "You remember?"

"We will not speak of this here. You will only refer to me as Sekiguchi. You will refrain from touching me, as I do not wish to share my markings with everyone. And after the luncheon, you will accompany me to my home where we will continue this conversation."

Sekiguchi felt Kagome's anger rise to nearly intolerable levels. She narrowed her eyes at him, an expression Sekiguchi was all too familiar with. "I see 600 years hasn't changed you one bit you self-centered egotistical prick." And with that the woman stormed off to the luncheon.

Sekiguchi frowned. At least she hadn't said no.

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	3. Confusion at Every Turn

CHAPTER 3: Confusion at Every Turn

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Kagome calmed down once the salad was served and she had something to concentrate on other than the demon lord sitting further down the table. He had been on the phone most of the time, not that she had been watching or even trying to listen. But now that she had time to think and feel, Kagome noticed that there was something different about Sesshoumaru that she didn't notice the first time. He felt different. His youki was slightly off from what she remembered, and there was no way she could forget a youki like Sesshoumaru's. During the shard-hunting days, every time he came around, it took every ounce of willpower not to be frightened off or fall to her knees from the sheer intensity of it.

His youki now was a lot more docile and a little…altered? Maybe he had taken a mate. Didn't that change a demon's youki? Maybe he-

"Kagome-san, are you alright?" The old man across from her interrupted her thoughts.

Kagome blinked and nodded, "Yes, Tanaka-san. Just a little tired from my job last night."

"Oh. You were here late last night setting up for today?"

Kagome smiled. "If only. I have another job as an ER Life Assistant at Tokyo Memorial. I got off work at four this morning and was called here to sub for one of our workers who was unable to make it."

"Ah," Tanaka said. "Well my dear, I am very glad you were here this morning. It has been a long time since I have heard the tales of demons or seen someone not afraid to tell their stories. It is very refreshing."

"Thank you." Kagome let out one of her real smiles and watched as the main course was placed in front of her. And then in a whisper Kagome told Tanaka, "I used to have some very good friends that were demons." She didn't see two golden eyes turn towards her at that statement.

Lunch ended all too soon for Kagome who had enjoyed the company of the older business owners that surrounded her. Even as she followed 'Sekiguchi' to his limo, she couldn't help but feel that today was already much better than she thought it would be.

The limo ride was a silent one, especially with Kagome staring out the window, engulfed in daydreams. Even with her good mood, she would not talk to Sekiguchi-_sama_ unless he spoke to her first. The way things were going, even if he were to speak first, she wasn't sure she wanted to answer him.

Before she left with Sekiguchi, Tanaka asked Kagome if she would accompany him and his family on a picnic Sunday after handing her his business card with a cell number scribbled on the back. "It is rare for an old traditional man to find such pleasurable company in the younger generations. And bring more of your demon stories with you." He wouldn't take no for an answer, which Kagome wouldn't have told him anyway. He was pretty jovial for the most part. Those happy thoughts kept her busy until the limo pulled into a long gravel driveway.

Large evergreen trees surrounded the driveway, leaving her to only see the road ahead or the road behind. As the end of the tree line came closer, Kagome could see the large…could she even call it a lawn? Lawns were the little plots of grass surrounding a tiny house, but this? This was the Serengeti after the rains, country clubs would be jealous of all the green she saw. The limo rolled to a stop, the door was opened and Kagome was helped out by a footman whom she detected was a demon. As she stood, waiting for Sekiguchi to exit the limo, she turned to the footman. "What kind of demon are you?"

The footman's eyes widened before he stiffened again at Sekiguchi's presence. "Madam," was his only reply.

"This way," Sekiguchi ordered, "and do not bother the servants."

Kagome fumed at being ordered around and flipped him off behind his back. Had the demon not learned anything after all these years? She just couldn't believe his personality hadn't changed one bit. As he led her through a series of hallways, Kagome could feel tiny sparks of youki throughout the house, signaling her of the other residents and employees. She had been too distracted by the other youki signatures to notice that her escort had stopped in front of a large wooden door. Her face hit him square between the shoulders.

"Sorry." Kagome rubbed her nose. "What's in there?" He wasn't taking her to his room was he?

"My office."

"Oh." Kagome was a little embarrassed over her train of thought but what would stop him from taking advantage of her in his office? An office that no one was probably allowed to enter. Kagome had to be seven kinds of stupid to have agreed to come to his house, enemy territory as far as she was concerned.

The office was lightly decorated with a few sakura paintings on the wall and a small branch of blossoms in a vase at the corner of his desk. The room was overly large, most likely for any meetings that required more space. Sekiguchi walked to his desk and sat on the edge.

"Who are you?"

Kagome's eyes darted around, searching for possible escape routes. The only ones she saw was the window to her right and the door they came through on her left.

"Kagome Higurashi."

"You said you traveled with Inuyasha."

Kagome felt her anger rising. "You tried to melt me when I pulled Tessaiga out of your father's tomb! Don't tell me you forgot that because I sure as hell haven't!"

In a flash, Sekiguchi was in front of her. "You will not raise your voice at me in my house, human!"

Kagome's fists balled at her sides. Her miko powers were coming to the surface in her rage, something that hadn't happened for a very long time. "I will do _whatever_ I want, _wherever_ I want, got that jackass?" She felt his youki building. Something was off with it, but she still couldn't figure it out and it didn't look like she'd have a lot of time either if she had to defend herself.

As soon as Kagome saw a hand raise against her, her hands shot forward to block him. Too many times had other less sober and stupid men tried the very same thing and they learned the lesson Sesshoumaru was about to. There was an explosion and the sound of broken glass. Kagome opened her eyes and saw Sekiguchi's smoking body lying in the middle of the lawn. She'd blasted him through the window.

"Oh get up! Don't tell me you're too old to take on this _little miko_." He had pissed her off good this morning and Kagome felt a little on the reckless side when she saw that it had actually worked! There was no way she should have landed that attack, but there had been times in the past when she caught the insufferable lord by surprise. Why wasn't he moving? Maybe he _was_ too old? "Sesshoumaru?"

An overpowering youki was instantly at her back, suffocating her. Kagome's blood froze. Whoever stood behind her was too powerful to protect herself from. What had she done?

"I see you're still hot-headed as ever _little miko_."

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Sesshoumaru could smell the fear radiating off the black-haired woman. She hadn't turned to look at him yet, but he supposed she wouldn't be able to move at all in her shock. The miko had certainly remembered him and too well I seemed from the current scene in the downstairs office. Instead of waiting to be acknowledged, Sesshoumaru walked across the room and stared at the body lying in the lawn, still smoking from an awesome display of miko power.

He turned back to the miko with a smirk on his face. "What did my son do to deserve your anger, miko?"

It took a few drawn out seconds for his question to sink into the miko's brain. "Son?"

"Yes, my son Seiichi," Sesshoumaru said directing the miko's attention to her latest victim with a nod.

Kagome had finally looked away from the body on the lawn and at the voice speaking to her. "Sesshoumaru? But who-how…what?" Her eyes darted over his mark-free face before she whispered, "But your markings? Take it off…"

"Take it off?" he repeated, just to make sure he wasn't hearing things.

"That damn hiding spell."

Oh. The spell.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, holding back a shiver as the spell melted away. When he opened his eyes, he saw that the miko was visibly more relaxed, for which he was grateful.

"Is that better?"

Kagome nodded. "Much better," she said while taking another look at the body in the yard. Then looking at Sesshoumaru again, Kagome shook her head. "Maybe not." This was way too confusing. She could see the minute differences between the two men now. Sesshoumaru's eyes were a deeper gold color, his hair a finer white. And his frame was definitely larger than his son's. Dizziness threatened to take over.

"You said son, right?"

"Yes, my son."

"I don't remember you having a son."

"He was not born until two hundred years after you left."

"Are you sure you weren't part of a cloning experiment gone wrong?" When all she received was a nod, Kagome added, "he looks just like you."

"Yes, a fact which he would like to change." The tones of his low baritone voice soothed Kagome to a point of complete relaxation.

"Why?"

Sesshoumaru watched his son sit up and rub his head. "Everyone desires to be their own person, do they not?" He knew that had been a sore topic for the miko and his deceased brother in the past.

"Oh." Kagome looked at him again, no doubt to study his features a little more, not that he wasn't doing the same thing. It had been five hundred years since he saw her last. When her eyes left him to stare at his son again, Sesshoumaru felt a little strange.

"Will he be alright?" Then realizing exactly whose company she was in now, Kagome tensed. "Are you going to kill me now?"

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Why would I kill you?"

Kagome looked to the broken window again as if it wasn't obvious. "I just blasted your son through the window and almost purified him. Oh kami, that blast was meant for you, not a kid!" Kagome said, her guilt finally hitting her at full force.

Sesshoumaru knew he was the only one who could appreciate the humor in the situation and kept his laughter at bay. "He's been through worse and the window is easy to replace. Let us go to the kitchen and find ourselves a snack." Sesshoumaru led Kagome out of his son's study with a hand on the small of her back.

"What?" Why was everything so confusing? Why wasn't he angry about his son flying through the window? "A snack? I'm gonna check on Seiichi really fast-"

Sesshoumaru's hand caught the miko by the elbow and led her out of the office. "A snack, miko, a small bit of sustenance to tide us over until the main course is ready."

"But your son-"

"I assure you he is fine. He was…overdue. My son has been a bit insufferable lately."

"I don't know," Kagome started. "I mean-I've been thinking he was you since I saw him this morning and he's been irritating me all day long! I figured you'd be stronger than you were since the last time I saw you…I think I overdid it."

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but laugh. It pleased him that Kagome knew how strong he was and knew she could not defeat him. Her power at its greatest would never be able to kill him or knock him down, which she must have known if she had goaded his son on after blasting him. When Kagome stopped moving, he turned to see what was wrong but only saw confusion on the miko's face.

"You laugh?" It was an honest question spurred from honest confusion. He hadn't laughed until after his son was born. She didn't know. But the look on her face made him laugh again.

"Seriously, Sesshoumaru. Is he going to be okay?"

Sesshoumaru saw the familiar concern Kagome had and asked her again, "What did my son do to aggravate you?"

Kagome couldn't remember seeing so much emotion from the demon of old. His brows were knit in concern for her, his golden eyes warmed her. Now was not the time to be sheepish but Kagome was and she looked away from him. "Nothing."

"Then he must deserve a greater punishment if you seek to protect him from me." Sesshoumaru felt dishonored at his son's unknown actions and poor Kagome stiffened at hearing a cold tone that unearthed memories she thought she'd left behind. He took a few deep breaths and turned the miko's face towards his. "Tell me of my son's transgression towards you."

Kagome looked straight into his eyes. Sesshoumaru felt her heart speed up, heard her breaths quicken. She looked away again.

"Kagome-"

"He was about to hit me." Kagome was disgusted at how helpless she sounded.

Sesshoumaru was silent in thought. "How hard did you blast him?"

Kagome laughed nervously. "How old were you when we met?"

"I was in my eighth century."

"That's what I figured," the miko said. "And then I added the five hundred years that have passed."

Sesshoumaru smirked. This girl was quick. "You had that figured out in mere seconds?"

Kagome shook her head. "Your _son_ has been pissing me off all day, but I thought he was you. I've been tossing numbers around in my head and figured you were about 1300 and you would be able to take a stronger blast than before, you know, in case the chance presented itself."

"Hn." The miko thought she could teach him a lesson. He was far too powerful now, having more than a millennia of years and experience under his belt. "Well, I'm sure that Seiichi has learned his lesson." Sesshoumaru actually hoped that the miko nailed Seiichi hard enough that this lesson in disrespect would last at least a week, if not more.

"How old is he?"

"Four hundred and four years."

Kagome did the math. "He's still a pup."

"More like an adolescent. He is slightly older than Inuyasha was when you first met. Seiichi is old enough to take responsibility for his actions, especially for one of his breeding."

They finally reached the kitchen and Sesshoumaru led Kagome to a stool at a bar-counter top. When he felt her approaching the house, the _feel_ of her was so strange that he ignored it. But he couldn't ignore it for long as her power pulsed in anger at his son through the levels and rooms of the estate. The tingling sensation ripped memories and dreams from the depths of his mind and pulled him out of his chair in his room and towards her location. Smelling her power and tasting it outside of the door to his son's office was not enough. Sesshoumaru needed to see her and make sure she was real and not just a fading dream.

Right now, he wanted to talk about more pleasant things. "You have matured a great deal since the last time I saw you." Sesshoumaru was pleased to see the miko blush, a sign that she understood his double entendre. "How have I not noticed you after all this time?" Another blush made him smile, which made Kagome blush harder. The taiyoukai was not ignorant of the power of his smiles and how devastating they were to the female population. Knowledge was most definitely power.

"I wasn't born until nineteen eighty."

Pieces started fitting together for the taiyoukai. "The well?" Was that where the wench landed every time she jumped into the well? Here in the future?

"Yeah. It's located on my family shrine."

"Hmm, that explains quite a lot about my brother now." The shrine's safety and well keep was the only request Inuyasha had ever made of Sesshoumaru and he had done his best to honor his brother's dying wish.

"Why? What did he say?"

"In less articulate words my brother said that the safety of the world depended on the safety of the shrine. Since Inuyasha's forest lay within my borders, I made sure to keep the deed to the land all these years and eventually made the government pay me money to keep such a historical monument."

Kagome smiled, no doubt trying to think of exactly how Inuyasha worded his request. "Less articulate words?"

"I believe he said, 'Something's gonna happen to this well in about five hundred years. If you don't make sure this well and this shrine are safe, I'm gonna be reincarnated as your child and rain hell on you for the rest of your immortal life.'"

Kagome's laughter made Sesshoumaru feel lighter than the conversation would have allowed. When she smiled and sighed, the question was asked, "Was he happy?"

Sesshoumaru smiled to himself. "I believe in the end he was happy. Inuyasha found purpose as a bodyguard to my son when I could not be at his side. Inuyasha enjoyed being Seiichi's hero, although I would have wished a better role model for my son."

The topic of Inuyasha was going to be an emotional one for a while with this woman. She needed no words to tell her he was dead. Sesshoumaru pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her when he smelled her tears surfacing.

While Kagome blew her nose, she searched her mind for an appropriate ice breaker. "So what have you been up to all these years?"

"Building an empire that my son is slowly taking over."

"An empire?"

"The Sekiguchi family has their hands in everything, we nearly own Japan."

Kagome took one look at his serious face and laughed at the irony of it all.

"I knew it."

"Inuyasha would tell Seiichi stories of you and the wonders of your time. He drew pictures for my son, who in turn brought them to me and told me their stories as well. I kept them, thinking he would want them later to remind him of his uncle. But because of the pictures and my brother's stories and some smart thinking, we made many good investments throughout the years and have always been well off. If there is anything you ever need, ask and I shall give it to you. It is because of you that my family was blessed and now that I have found you, I will be returning the favor tenfold."

"Oh please. That's not necessary."

"You could buy everything in the world and we would still be filthy rich." Kagome's jaw dropped. Surely he wasn't serious. "Just how _did_ you meet my son?"

Kagome relayed the morning's events to him with perfect clarity. "And don't even think to say it's because of Inuyasha's influence. You guys may be alike but I know the difference between no manners and royal disdain. Seiichi is his father's son."

"Hn," was all he could say. It was true. The miko had him pegged. The chimes of the grandfather clock down the hall brought Sesshoumaru's attention to the clock on the microwave. "Do you have to work tomorrow?"

"Depends on what today is."

"Friday."

"I'm free till Monday."

"Good," Sesshoumaru said as he rose from his stool, "My daughter and her family are here. I will introduce them and you will stay with us this weekend."

"Wait-what?"

Sesshoumaru gave her no time to think. It was a battle tactic that had yet to fail him. "She is your size and has many clothes. There will be no problems."

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Sesshoumaru just told her that she was going to stay here…at his house…with him! The nerve of that guy! And use his daughter's clothes? She just got here, just met his son, and he still presumes to order her about!

The sound of children's feet grew near as a female voice called out.

"Father, where are you?"

"In the dining room."

Two little children with wild black hair ran through the dining room and jumped into their grandfather's arms. "Papa! Papa!"

A smile graced Kagome's lips when she saw the open display of joy on Sesshoumaru's face as he swung his granddaughters around. The years had definitely changed him for the better. And why was it suddenly getting hot?

"Where are your parents little ones?"

"Taking the bags to the room."

"Ah," Sesshoumaru said, the smile never leaving his face. "Girls, I want to introduce you to your grandmother, Kagome. Kagome, this is Moriko," lifting the girl with black hair and green eyes in his left arm, "and this is Hotaru," the girl with black hair and fire-orange eyes in his right arm, "your three and a half year-old granddaughters."

Kagome didn't know how to react to this little piece of news. How did she have grand children and was he suggesting they were going to get married?

Another voice entered the fray. "Rin, did you bring the diaper bag in-"

The man in the doorway of the dining room had vibrant green eyes, copper-colored hair tied back and six tails swishing behind him. He must have confused her with his wife. And by the way he was staring at her, Kagome guessed she looked a lot like her.

"Daddy! Daddy! We have a grandma! Papa told us!" The man in the doorway didn't move when his daughters grabbed his hands to drag him to where Kagome was.

Yet another voice, a feminine one, entered the room. "Shippo, I've got the diaper bag right here…" The woman's voice trailed off as she came to a stop at the door. The diaper bag fell to the floor. "It can't be!"

Kagome's eyes shot between the woman and demon. Their faces bounced around her head but she couldn't solidify anything until the woman called her husband's name again. "Shippo?"

Sesshoumaru took the cue that his assistance was needed. "Shippo, I have informed your daughters that they now have a grandmother."

The spell cast over the room at the reunited miko and her kit was broken with a dry swallow and one whispered word.

"Momma?"

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Author's Notes:

So….**I HAVE BEEN DYING TO GIVE YOU THIS CHAPTER FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS!! DYING!**

From now on, I'll just stick to putting messages down here at the bottom. That way I don't break the line of reality before the story even starts! So, I hope you all liked it. I couldn't wait to post this story for you all and shock the pants off of ya! If you don't understand what happened in the first part of the story, just review bwahahaha and I'll do my best to respond and clue you in.

But if you did get it, please review anyway! It was a lot of fun on my end, receiving reviews that said things along the line of Sesshoumaru hasn't changed one bit! And I was DYING to tell you all, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. I didn't even want to give you hints that it wasn't him, so I wrote the first three chapters at the same time and slowly posted them, making sure that I wasn't giving anything away.

It wasn't until I started writing the third chapter that I thought, ooh, it would be better to just deceive them from the get go! Originally, I had planned for Sekiguchi to be Sesshy and he just wasn't going to recognize her at first. But then those stinkin' muses slipped something into my drink and voila. Seiichi happened. And it worked! Yea!! Now, I hope I can keep the story going in such a fashion.

Echo


	4. Second Time Around

CHAPTER 4: Second Time Around

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"Shippo?" Kagome couldn't believe it. She looked to Sesshoumaru for answers but all he did was smile and nod at her. Kagome looked back to see that Shippo hadn't moved so she took the first step towards him.

That was all the permission Shippo needed. He covered the distance between them and she was in his embrace in less time than it took to blink. "You're alive!"

"Shippo! Shippo-" Kagome thought she was over crying. It was all she did for the first two years that the well shut her away from her second family. "My baby. I tried coming back for you, I tried but it wouldn't let me," she said between sobs. All the wounds that had scabbed over, all the rage she felt at the fates for taking her son away from her, the depression at not being able to do anything about it, opened anew and released itself into Shippo's shirt.

"Momma, it's okay. I know you didn't stay away on purpose. It's gonna be okay," Shippo whispered as he stroked Kagome's back with a free hand.

Two little girls looked up to their grandfather. "Papa, why is grandma sad?"

Sesshoumaru turned to take his granddaughters to the backyard. "Your grandmother is happy because she has not seen your father in many many years."

"Why?" came the double response.

_What would be acceptable to tell three year olds?_ "I'll tell you when you're older."

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Inside the house…

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"You're not going home," Shippo demanded.

Kagome smiled and wiped the moisture from her cheeks. "Sesshoumaru told me as much."

Rin smiled and looked at the woman she had imagined to be her mother all those centuries ago. Many years had been spent wondering what this moment was going to be like and all she could do was push her mate out of the way, "Shippo, it's my turn."

Shippo watched Kagome let go of him and move her waterworks to his mate. "Rin, you're so much older. I didn't get to see you two grow up."

Tears spilled from Kagome's eyes again and Rin rubbed her back to calm her. "You will see our daughters grow up. I'm so glad father found you. He's been looking for you for-"

Rin was cut off by a clearing of the throat.

Kagome backed up and wiped her eyes again. She shook her head in confusion. "Sesshoumaru didn't find me. I ran into Seiichi at work today."

"And where is that brat??" Shippo looked around the kitchen but didn't see any signs of him.

Sesshoumaru reentered the kitchen with granddaughters in tow. "My son is licking his wounds. He has endured a much needed lesson in manners."

Shippo looked to his mother who stiffened at the mention of Sesshoumaru's son. "Mom?"

Kagome's eyes focused on Shippo at the sound of her name. "Eh…heh?"

When Shippo looked to Sesshoumaru for an answer, the taiyoukai said, "my ill-mannered son thought to correct Kagome. She did not take kindly to having a hand raised against her."

Shippo couldn't believe it. Well, this _was_ Seiichi they were talking about. He was a miniature version of Sesshoumaru in his younger days with a temper that rivaled that of Inuyasha.

Kagome winced. "I thought he was Sesshoumaru being his past arrogant and condescending self so I blasted him through the window in his office."

"Seiichi has been in need of learning a lesson in respect. He is lucky it was this human miko to teach him the lesson."

Kagome laughed nervously. "Yeah, except he's four times younger than I thought him to be because he wasn't his father. I could have killed him!"

"Don't worry, Kagome. If Sesshoumaru says he's fine, the boy's fine. Seiichi has been rough-handled. I mean, he had Inuyasha for a babysitter. And that was after Inuyasha practiced on me." Shippo put the diaper bag on the dining room table and hugged Kagome again. "I can't believe you're actually here. We've waited so long to find you!" He wrapped two strong arms around her waist and swung her around the kitchen. Kagome's estranged laughter came made its way out of her body and everyone smiled at the sound.

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Rin walked to her father and snuggled into his side. They had come a long way, _he_ had come a long way to be able to accept physical contact with her, let alone anyone else. Rin never took the small allowances for granted. She knew her father mourned the loss of the miko before his son was born. She didn't need words to know that in the past Sesshoumaru would seek out the group of shard hunters to be in the miko's refreshing presence. There was a distinct lightness of his eyes when he would return to his own group. After much innocent questioning and reviewing past conversations, Rin had pieced together his reasons and smiled at the thought of her lord being distracted by his brother's miko.

Rin would finally see her father happy as long as Kagome hadn't done something stupid like tied herself off to a human male while she had been flying under the radar.

"Uncle didn't really know when you were going to be born," Rin informed Kagome. "All he told us was in five-hundred years you would be fifteen and you would live on a shrine. He must have not wandered around much while he visited with you in the future because there are a lot of shrines in the greater Tokyo area."

Kagome sat at the dining room table with her two new granddaughters in her lap. To Rin, Kagome looked as though a lot of the weight on her shoulders had been lifted. "You guys looked for me?"

Rin nodded. "Many of the shrines have women who were seeking shelter from abusive relationships or family situations. They were reluctant to give out names and information. It has been a difficult search."

Shippo sat behind Kagome and had his head on her shoulder. It was the best he could do since jumping on her shoulder was out of the question.

"We didn't start the search until about five years ago because we didn't want to screw up the time continuum. But it's pretty funny that the one who didn't know you at all is the one who found you."

Kagome nodded. "That is kind of weird. There's just something about dog demons that I just can't shake myself free of. I wonder what that is…"

"Fate is a four-letter word…" Shippo sang, imitating a popular Cake song.

Rin turned at feeling a vibration in her father's chest before actually hearing him ask, "do you wish to be free of dog demons?"

Kagome looked to the ever stoic taiyoukai, knowing that there was another meaning hidden deep in his words.

"No," she answered automatically. Kagome's eyes narrowed at Sesshoumaru as she came up with her own translation of the question, oblivious to what he actually thought, and growled in a tightly reigned voice, "You think I wished to be sent back to the future? You think I wanted to be thrown away from my family, from the only place I have ever felt like I actually belonged and was needed?" Sesshoumaru frowned but remained silent. He listened as years of mental torture blew up and splattered all over the walls. "I broke every bone in my body twice over trying to jump down the well to come back for two years. My mother had to call her friend in construction to build a steel cage around it to put a stop to my so-called suicide attempts. Then she called in another friend who was a psychiatrist to help me through my emotional state, except I knew I couldn't tell the woman anything, otherwise I'd get locked up in a psych box. My mom told me I needed to find something to occupy my mind with, I needed a hobby."

When Kagome had not returned to the past after two months, Shippo knew that the jewel had locked her away. He was angry, he made life a living hell for those around him for quite some time before Sesshoumaru was able to calm the boy down through Rin. Now, hearing his mother's story, Shippo's heart cracked again. Kagome had to go through all of that alone, without anyone who understood her. At least Shippo had his family and Sesshoumaru's when the demon finally started coming around.

Kagome hung her head as the familiar feelings of depression resurfaced with her trip to her past. "I was angry for a very long time." Kagome pulled the two little girls closer to her chest and nuzzled their sleeping heads in the crook of her neck. "I ran away to a shrine where they helped me to heal and soon I was able to get on my feet again. Shortly after that I applied to school and majored in history and found a job at the museum."

Finally, the last family member that Kagome was aware of walked into the kitchen. "You mentioned this morning that you worked at the hospital." Seiichi crossed the kitchen, noticing that his nieces were comfortable in the lap of the woman he still did not know. But with the girls in the room, he would evade his father's wrath for his horrid display earlier. It was a cheap shot but Seiichi was hungry and he had a meeting at two.

Kagome's tension at Seiichi's entrance was apparent to the other adults in the room. His markings were plain for everyone to see. The two slashes of color on his cheek were closer to red than his father's magenta and his crescent moon was a midnight blue, not indigo. The differences were small, but large enough that she needed to know them.

"When I was at the shrine, I learned the art of healing hands. The director of Tokyo Memorial is of a miko line so she is aware of the healing powers of her _sisters_. Several women I met at the shrine work at the hospital in the ICU and in ER, to help lessen the more severe cases that come through the doors. We have people in life flight, ambulance crews, you name it, we're there. Our titles are Life Assistants. An eight-hour shift is long enough to put us-well…other women out for a week so we only work once a week. I work whenever they need a sub or have free time."

Seiichi sneered at Kagome from the counter and Kagome's eyes narrowed in return.

Sesshoumaru decided to prevent any more incidents. "Seiichi, this is Kagome, the miko from your bedtime stories, mother to Shippo, best friend of my brother. Kagome, my son Seiichi."

Seiichi's eyes widened when he made the connection. No wonder this woman was powerful. He could recount his uncle's stories, even though their accuracy in certain details was questionable. "You're the miko?"

"Sorry to disappoint," she answered. Kagome sighed when the boy didn't say anything in return and guilt prodded at her for her actions in his office. "Seiichi, I'm really sorry about blasting you through your window. I really thought you were your father. Please let me heal you-"

A familiar scowl marred that boyish face. "I would rather let my wounds fester and heal on their own than let you near me again."

Kagome felt a stabbing pain in her heart at hearing those words. Sesshoumaru had allowed her to heal him in the past and had even aided her a few times when her life seemed doomed. To not have some kind of a connection with his son really hit her hard.

"But it will scar," she said. "Miko burns don't heal on demons-"

"I do not care," Seiichi's voice boomed through the kitchen.

Kagome really needed to be able to separate Seiichi and his father in her mind. The repercussions of not doing so would create a wide gap in any relationship she hoped to bud with this newly extended family of hers.

Sesshoumaru could smell the miko's guilt and sadness, knowing that his son chose not to be healed. Rin had helped to soften the great taiyoukai lord but Seiichi had no equivalent to Rin in his life. Maybe the miko could help his son find freedom as she did with his younger brother. "Miko, do not worry yourself about my son. Let his scars be a reminder to him-"

"Of how easy I am to anger?" she provided.

Sesshoumaru sighed and picked up one of his now sleeping granddaughters from Kagome's lap. "No. It will serve to remind him of his own temper and what unnecessary provocation can cause."

Sesshoumaru could smell Kagome's tears before they reached her eyes. He nodded at Rin and Shippo to take their daughters. He would take care of the miko.

"I have a meeting in an hour. I will see you later, father. Shippo, Rin," Seiichi said, ignoring Kagome.

A low growl pierced the silence in the kitchen that Kagome traced back to Sesshoumaru. She watched Seiichi freeze in the doorway. That growl made Kagome's heart stop and she saw Shippo and Rin just shake their heads at the boy.

A few seconds passed before Kagome heard Seiichi acknowledge her. He left without another sound.

Shippo walked towards Kagome and picked up little Hotaru. "We're gonna put the girls down for their nap," Shippo informed Kagome before walking out with Rin and Moriko.

Sesshoumaru sighed and stretched a hand out to the miko still seated at the table. "Miko, I apologize for my son's rude behavior. He has been hard to deal with since Inuyasha died."

Kagome accepted the hand up and was surprised when the hand slid to the small of her back to escort her to the back patio. "I totally understand how he feels. I went through the same thing when the well shut down. Do you think it would help if I made him a magic necklace?" she asked, trying to lift the heavy air about them.

"It is an interesting thought." Sesshoumaru smiled and pulled the nearest chair out for the miko to sit in.

"Actually, could we walk around, please? I've been locked indoors all day and need some fresh air."

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Sesshoumaru couldn't be more pleased. The miko was with him _and_ requested his company. This was going to be easier than he thought. Five hundred years he waited through stories and memories to be with her again.

It was after his son was born that Sesshoumaru had loosened up a bit. Inuyasha had found a best friend in the miko and Sesshoumaru found an obsession in needing to know the peculiar woman that withstood all attempts to remove her from this plane of existence.

"_You gotta just tell her. Kagome's not stupid and I've dragged her around enough to last her a lifetime. If you wanna make her happy, be straightforward with her. She'll let you know whether she wants you or not but you have to tell her. That girl's loyal to a fault but she won't take crap from anyone. Not even you."_

That was the advice Inuyasha gave him. That's what he was going to do…or maybe he would try it his way first. After all, he couldn't make things too easy for his prey.

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I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed this story. Your words of encouragement help me put words on paper so to speak.

And to the person who signed _**Tired of Summer**_, thanks for catching the impossible task I assigned Kagome. I have found a way to get what I want while keeping a quasi-realistic feel to it. You may have to re-read chapter 3 but I've found a more balanced part for Kagome's jobs. Thanks for reviewing!


	5. Mixed Blood

CHAPTER 5  
Mixed Blood

Sesshoumaru did not know who would have the honor of breaking the semi-comfortable silence that filled the space between him and the miko. He followed as Kagome wandered the back yard wordlessly, only stopping every once in a while to examine different flowers. He did not have to wait long. The miko he remembered had a hard time being silent and the miko beside him seemed to have not changed in that way.

"I never thought I would see you all again," she said in almost a whisper.

"We were afraid that Inuyasha's information was incorrect as to when you were to appear. We kept a close trail on the shrines as time passed though it proved a bit ineffective when the only information we had on you was that you traveled through a well. It was destroyed during the many wars the land had suffered."

Sesshoumaru nearly missed a step when the scent of Kagome's tears wafted in his direction. If he wasn't a demon, he would have missed her whispered question.

"He didn't tell you my last name?"

The sorrow, an old pain, hung heavy around Kagome, clouding the aura he had come to know as hers. He did not know it was caused by her joy in hearing they had looked for her. "When asked, Inuyasha did not know it. It seems the depth of my brother's idiocy ran deep." Sesshoumaru felt something in him lurch when he heard Kagome choke on a sob. "What ails you, miko?"

Sesshoumaru was unaware that calling her miko sent her back into a time when she was happy, which made the tears come faster. After living many centuries with Rin and having hundreds of years to practice on several of her litters, Sesshoumaru learned what to do in these situations. He walked up to the miko and wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders, pulling her into his warmth.

The first time he had held someone like this was when Rin lost her second child. Shippo had been far in the south for business and Sesshoumaru was the only source of comfort when Kimiko passed. Little Rin had made so few requests of him throughout her lifetime that when she asked if he could just hold her, Sesshoumaru could not refuse. It was the first time he had ever seen Rin cry but it would not be the last. Now it was the miko that he held, cradling her like Rin, giving her warmth and strength, the only two things he could offer in such a situation.

"After a while, my mother refused to acknowledge that I had even been to the past. I was lost in time again, but this time in the one I'd been born in." Her tears were shed silently with only the sounds of sniffling escaping her. "Thank you for looking for me though. I felt more alone here than I ever had when on my own in the Sengoku Jidai."

Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on the slip of a woman in his arms. He had imagined holding her like this before, but the situation was no where near the same as the one he had conjured up in his mind.

"It seems little miko that-" Sesshoumaru was interrupted by a buzz in his pocket. Of all the times to receive a call, why now? "Please excuse me," he said while unfolding his arms to find his phone.

"No, thank you for letting me cry on you. But you might want to change your clothes so my scent's not all over you."

"It is of no consequence," Sesshoumaru replied while flipping his phone open. It was the hospital. "Hn. I see." Just as quickly, Sesshoumaru closed his phone and put it back in his pocket. "Something has come up in the hospital." He led Kagome back into the house. "I am sorry about the interruption, Kagome. I wish that I could stay and continue our talk."

Kagome sniffled again and cracked a smile for him. "Well, I'm not sure that there was a lot of talk happening exactly."

"Nevertheless," he insisted. "Under normal circumstances I would never allow the interruption of personal time. However, something has-Rin," Sesshoumaru's attention shifted when he saw her in the kitchen. "Please take care of Kagome. The hospital called for-"

"Father, why don't you take Kagome with you. I'm sure there is some way she can be of help."

Sesshoumaru paused long enough to look between the two women and weigh the option in his mind. "I will be there overnight-one of the children has taken a turn for the worst."

Rin raised both hands. "Overnight bags for the both of you."

Sesshoumaru's eyes softened. A long time ago, Sesshoumaru had no need for anyone to take care of him, but over the years he had come to appreciate Rin's sensitivity to his needs and to him. It was an accomplishment for none other. Now, he wasn't sure what life would be like without her.

"And before you say anything else I packed dinner for the both of you. Get going. Run to the hospital and I'll send Jaken to pick you up tomorrow."

"Rin." There were words to describe the appreciation he felt for his surrogate daughter but with Rin, no words needed to be said. His eyes warmed and a hint of a smile crossed his lips.

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Kagome followed Sesshoumaru out to the lawn and her jaw nearly dropped as he squatted and turned to look at her.

"I believe this was the preferred way to travel, was it not?"

Something stirred to life deep in Kagome's soul as she stepped closer towards the taiyoukai on his haunches. The closer she got, the more tears threatened to spill. He stood again, looking larger than life. She imagined him dressed in white with two swords at his side, his beautiful silver hair floating in the wind.

"If you prefer, I could carry you in my arms but it would take us longer to arrive."

"No," Kagome wiped her eyes. "I…the back is fine." She watched in shock as Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, the most powerful demon she knew, squatted to give her his back.

Kagome held onto his shoulders and lifted her legs to wrap around his waist. Her legs tingled when Sesshoumaru's hands grabbed them to readjust them into a more comfortable position.

"Do you have the bags secured?"

"Yeah." Why did her voice sound so weak? "I have all three of them."

"Hold on tight. I am faster than Inuyasha."

He should have told her that he invented mach 5. They were going so fast that Kagome struggled to move her head down until it was shielded by Sesshoumaru's broad shoulder. It was too hard to breathe otherwise. She tried to open her eyes but the wind stung as it never had before. Within several breaths the wind stopped howling in her ears and her hair stopped whipping behind her.

"We are here." Sesshoumaru helped her off his back and held her arm until she was steady enough to walk on her own. It looked like they were in a parking garage and she was being led to the elevator. "We will go to my office first to drop these off before we head to the children's wing."

Still a bit shaken up over the incredible ride, Kagome couldn't focus again until they were already on their way to the children's wing. "What's the situation, if you don't mind me asking?" As the feeling made its way back into her body, the mindset of being a _Life Assistant_ made its way to the forefront of her mind.

"Rin and Shippo were the first miko/demon pairing in recorded history. We did not find out Rin was a miko until their second child, Kimiko, was born and she inherited both her parents abilities. Did you ever know the real reason that demons and mikos were made enemies?"

The real reason? There had been a reason behind all the hatred? It wasn't just more blind prejudice? "No, I don't."

Sesshoumaru pushed through the double doors that led to what looked like a nursery. "Welcome to Heaven," he said as soft music flowed through the room. Flowers were painted on the wall, butterflies and birds hovering over them. Little stuffed animals lined the bookshelves against the walls with TVs and gaming system stations in every corner.

"The two are fundamentally incompatible. If the two auras of the parents are not fully blended when they conceive, the child has little hope of surviving. The two parts of its soul will battle until one is entirely wiped out, in which case the children have usually died." He led her through a hallway in the back.

"Well, what about the parents? I mean, don't they check these things before they start having kids?"

Sesshoumaru had thought the same thing but over time realized something about children of this specific coupling. "Most of the time, it is hit or miss. Most children born to miko/demon couples are miscarriages. If the bond is strong enough, a child will survive the development stages and be born. Even then when born a hanyou, most of the youki is weak in the babes and the children have very little or no spiritual power at all. The children who live here are the exception."

"How have these children survived and others have not?" Kagome wondered as she saw hallways full of doors and windows.

"Each unit has four children residing in them with one nurse," Sesshoumaru told her as they passed several units. "These children are not as severe as other cases so they are kept in the outer hallways."

"How are they stabilized enough to stay here without injury?" If what she was saying was true, there had to be some power that kept both parts of their souls under control.

"I tell you this because of the history we share and because I know you can be trusted," Sesshoumaru said, looking for reason not to continue on. When he did not find one, he said, "I doubt my father knew the reaches of Tessaiga's influence, but I have found a great use for it since it has come into my care. There are three levels to this wing and this is the lowest level. Step in here." A camouflaged door slid open, revealing a large elevator. "This will take us to the highest floor where our most severe cases are."

"So you were saying something about Tessaiga?" Now she was very curious. What could Inuyasha's sword do in the medical world?

"Yes. After Rin's bore another child similar to Kimiko, she immediately rushed back to my home. Kimiko, their second born, died at four months, the longest any recorded child under these circumstances has lived. Their seventh child, Nobuhiro, was born with the same condition and through much trial and error, we discovered that Tessaiga worked for him the same way it worked for Inuyasha, with a few side effects." The elevator chimed and the door slid open. "Welcome to the highest level of Heaven."

If this is what heaven looked like, Kagome never wanted to leave. The most posh hotels in the world had nothing on this place. "How much would it cost to rent a room in here?"

She missed Sesshoumaru's grin. "You must pass a very difficult application process. You must first give up your life but I would much rather have you on earth." But Kagome was too enchanted by the odd-glowing chandeliers to catch Sesshoumaru's hidden meaning. The lights glowed but not with electricity. The further in the entry they walked, the more she felt it. "What is that...power?"

"Does it not feel familiar?" Golden eyes watched blue ones and saw recognition within them.

"Is that Tessaiga?"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head. "The patients on this floor are the most severe cases we have which requires them to be within a certain distance of Tessaiga, hence the reason for the room being round. The children are old enough to know their boundaries and they do not stray far."

"The poor children. But-wow. I mean...how does it all work?" How did one capture the power of a demonic sword and spread it throughout the wing?

For this, Sesshoumaru led her around the room. "The chandeliers and light fixtures you see are actually special crystals I commissioned Totosai to forge. They draw power from the sword and spread it like light around the floor. On the lower levels we also have these fixtures but because of the distance, the effect is weaker."

Just as he finished telling her about the crystals, they reached a bright room in which there was a glowing cylinder in the center. "Tessaiga is the heart."

The nurses in the room informed Sesshoumaru about the child's condition and he ordered them to bring the boy in here.

Kagome in the mean time had walked to the center of the room where Tessaiga floated tip up above a stand meant to hold it. "Tessaiga. I've missed you all these years." In close inspection, Kagome could see the many battle scars that Inuyasha's body never allowed on itself manifested on the blade. She knew how most of the nicks and scratches came to be. There were a few that must have been made after she left. The sword seemed to know she was near and recognized her right away. It pulsed and sent a stream of energy that wrapped around her outstretched arm.

"No ma'am. You musn't touch Tessaiga!" But the nurse paused in awe as the sword began to sway.

Tessaiga spun on its tip wider and wider until the hilt positioned itself perpendicular to her body. With the hilt at her waist, Kagome had no choice but to touch it, her curiosity would allow nothing else. When her fingers were no more than a hair breadth away, she paused and looked back to Sesshoumaru with questions in her eyes.

He merely nodded once, curious as well to see what Tessaiga had planned.

Kagome reached for the aged hilt with frozen breath.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Hello. I'm sorry that it took this long to get the next chapter out but I decided to cut what I had for this chapter in half because I was just too tired to continue on. Thank you everyone for the many reviews you have sent and for all the favs. Hopefully the next chapter will be out by next week. Good luck with school for those of you who are still in school (not me, I'm free!)

Echo


	6. The New Tessaiga

CHAPTER 6: The New Tessaiga

Tessaiga was warm, warmer than she remembered and it stayed transformed in her shaking hands. The ancient sword pulled her powers forward until they danced on her skin, licking at her in beautiful blue waves against Tessaiga's reds, oranges, and yellows. The powers of nature and beast danced in beat with the hidden life stream of the universe and the two colors wrapped around each other, wound like a fine thread.

"Tessaiga feels different," Kagome whispered. "As if it's been upgraded. Was it reforged?" Even as she spoke, she could not take her eyes off the sword.

"When my brother died the sword cracked down the middle. It was necessary to have it reforged with my own fang."

"It didn't reject you?" As she asked, Kagome could feel the part of Tessaiga that would forever be Sesshoumaru. It blanketed her body, surrounding her in warmth.

"We had come to realize that it was not my pure blood that caused my rejection but my brother's heart. Towards the end of his life we reconciled our differences and found peace with each other. When he passed, Tessaiga was given to me to hold until my son was worthy of it. The sword and I are in accord."

The boy on the table woke from the pain-induced sleep with a scream, breaking the trance everyone was in.

"Nissa! I hurt!" The boy called for his nurse.

"I'm here child. Be strong. It shall pass," the old raccoon demoness cooed.

"Nissa, it burns!"he cried again.

Koishi's nurse looked to Sesshoumaru for guidance when the child began thrashing. Everyone watched as little Kioshi's skin bubbled and smoked. Green puss oozed from his sores and he screamed his nerves lit on fire from his melting flesh.

Screams filled the round room, echoing off the walls, making the pain more agonizing for the nurses and the visitors.

Kagome ran to the child's side. "You said, Tessaiga helped them like Inuyasha. Here, give it to him." She held the sword out but Sesshoumaru pushed it away.

"You must put it back in the center. The children cannot bear to hold it. They can only absorb the power it releases."

The miko's heart broke as she watched the Kioshi's skin continue to melt before her eyes and all anyone could do was watch as his spiritual powers rose to the surface, attempting to do away with the threat of his youki. "Why are we here if we can't do anything to help?"

Nissa spoke up. "Lord Sesshoumaru can calm the demon inside the boy but it is not his demonic side that overpowers him now. It is the spiritual side, inherited from his mother. It is purifying him as we speak."

Purify. Demon. Spiritual. Fighting.

There was something in Kagome's past that nagged at her. Something in an emergency situation concerning a newborn and a house call. Holding hands. Sharing.

"Isn't there someone you usually keep around to help? Someone with holy powers?"

"The priestess we keep has fallen ill and is resting at home. I had not been informed until we arrived."

Images of past jobs ran through Kagome's head. One of her very first missions for healing came to her in flashes. "Sesshoumaru, I'm going to put my hands back on Kioshi. I need you to put Tessaiga on my hands when they're in place." Kagome removed the sweater she wore, leaving her in a tanktop. She needed as much skin as she could stand to show.

"What is your plan, miko?"

Kagome pulled her hair into a bun and scrubbed down at a sink near one of the doors. "I had to do this once for a test. It was more of a surprise test as I found out later." Two dainty hands were placed on the boy's body, one at his head and the other at his stomach. "Sword me."

Sesshoumaru halted at her words, realizing what she meant – to give her the sword and not stab her with it. Honestly, the phrases she used even now, still befuddled him. He removed the sword from the center energy pillar, not realizing how dark the room was after the power source had been removed and lay it across the top of Kagome's hands. He did notice, however, that there was another light in the room and it came from the blue glow of Kagome's skin.

Her spiritual powers were blue tendrils, reaching out for whatever they could touch. Many of the younger nurses backed away in fear. They had never been so close to such a powerful priestess in their lifetimes. Nissa was the only demon other than Sesshoumaru who stayed near the child.

"Do you mean you have only attempted this once?" Nissa's voice waivered as she struggled to remain still while her young charge was being handled by a holy one. Her instincts yelled at her to take the boy away from the danger, but if Sesshoumaru was not only standing and watching but aiding her, Nissa would not interfere. She had come to love this little boy and would follow her lord's example.

"Yeah. There was a surprise child at the shrine where I studied. One of the refugees was a miko… she didn't realize her boyfriend was a demon. I think he was a fox and lion mix. Who knew. I mean, the girl didn't even-ugh. I swear that young people aren't taking enough responsibility these days."

Nissa watched in fascination as Kagome's aura mixed and weaved with Tessaiga's again. "How did you know what to do?" There was a slight glow coming from Kioshi's body now that everyone could see in the dark. Where Tessaiga was the colors of fire and Kagome was an ocean blue, Kioshi's aura was split into two colors, mustard yellow and forest green.

"Can you see his split aura battling itself?" Kagome asked. The yellow and green colors looked like two cobras snapping at each other. "The green color is his spiritual powers and the yellow is his youki. The first time I saw this, during my pop quiz, it reminded me of how my brother and I would get into fights when we were younger. Most of the time I would be the dominant one out of the two of us, but every once in a while my brother had other plans. We would fight, a lot like miko/demon hanyou energy does but my mom would always calm us down and tell us we needed to learn how to get along. The thought came to me that I should try that on the two fighting auras."

Sesshoumaru was intrigued. "You are teaching his two halves to co-exist?" It was such a basic concept, how did no one thing of this before?

"It's basically the whole Yin and Yang thing. Each are separate but they intertwine with each other and fill in the holes. Tessaiga is my yang for tonight and I'm going to show Kioshi's energy how to get along and ultimately play nice. Both parts of his being don't realize they're the same person. That's why they're fighting."

One of the nurses who had shied away from Kagome's energy came to stand next to Nissa at the table. "Do you know why this normally happens?"

Kagome shrugged. "All I can figure is that the parents of these children did not have strong bond, whether they were together for only a short time or never really got along. I had seen one case where the child was a product of rape and had nearly died because of her accidental parentage."

Another nurse who had been silently watching Kagome mend the boy's soul together, stepped forward. "Is there a permanent solution to this, child? Or are all the children here fated to die as those before them?"

Kagome took a deep breath, allowing Tessaiga to weave even more with her aura. The boy was calm now and his skin was not smoking any more. His wounds were still severe but his spirit spoke of having achieved peace, even if it was for this short time.

"I think that the parents are the ones who will have to teach these kids. Demon mating bonds were so much stronger in the past than they are today," the miko mentioned and a few eyebrows rose in question.

"And how would you know about the past, human?" Another nurse sneered at her from the corner.

Sesshoumaru turned a glare on her. "Do not speak of things you know nothing about as you are yet a child still. This miko has been under the protection of my family for years and has seen more difficulty and hardship than you could ever experience." The other nurse shrunk towards the back of the room, away from Sesshoumaru's piercing gaze. "This miko journeyed with my brother when he was but a pup. You are lucky you still have a tongue."

"It's okay, Sesshoumaru," Kagome tried to calm him down. "She doesn't know and it doesn't matter."

"I will not stand for disrespect to those who deserve it."

"But that is impossible! Your brother has been dead for a few centuries and this is a human child that stands with us today." Nissa was already under the employment of Sesshoumaru when Inuyasha was in his final years. She did not see this miko woman then.

Kagome was oblivious to the conversation at hand. She had finished calming the boy's split auras but she was not done. "Come on Tessaiga, please?" She wanted to use some of Tessaiga's power to heal Kioshi's body but Tessaiga refused. "I know that's not what you were made for but for old time's sake?"

"What is it you are asking of Tessaiga, Kagome?"

Kagome kept her eyes closed, still in the process of asking Tessaiga to lend her the healing powers she had discovered woven into its new make-up. "I can't believe how stubborn this sword is now! Just how many teeth did you have to use to re-forge this thing?"

Sesshoumaru huffed. "I assure you that only half of a canine was needed."

But Kagome wasn't listening. She smiled. Tessaiga finally agreed to help her. "That's a good sword. I'm going to polish you, the next time I come up here."

"You can speak to the sword? What magic is this?" Nissa, realizing the liberties that Sesshoumaru allowed Kagome in speaking to him, changed the way she addressed the young miko immediately.

"It's not magic. Just a healthy and very old relationship." At her smile, Tessaiga pulsed and the women gasped as they felt it come alive. It pulsed again and this time something on Sesshoumaru's hand echoed it back.

A wisp of white light came from an ivory ring on Sesshoumaru's left hand and joined with the red of Tessaiga's power. Kagome looked back to Sesshoumaru and realized that the white light was the same color as Tenseiga. But the light came from his hand or rather a ring on his finger. Had the great Inu Lord melted his sword down into a mere ring? There was no way he could have or would have done that! Kagome saw the curious look in his eye before he realized what Tessaiga was doing. Golden eyes met blue as they made a request for her silence.

Kagome set her eyes back on the boy and concentrated in pouring more of her energy into the boy's body. Bleeding stopped, sores closed and there was a healthy pink coloring to his newly formed skin. The moment Sesshoumaru's command came for her to stop, Kagome pulled her energy back into herself and she could feel herself falling backwards.

Where she should have met the floor, she was met by a strong arm instead. Two glowing eyes stared at her in pride. Sesshoumaru was the only one who noticed her stress levels during the procedure. He would not allow her to attempt this again. They would find another way. Towards the end, Kagome started pooling her own life force into her hands without realizing it. No, it was too dangerous for a second attempt.

"Nissa, check the boy. I will take Kagome home to rest. None of you will reveal to anyone what has happened today. If you fail to obey, you will be dealt with accordingly." Sesshoumaru lifted Kagome against his chest with one arm while returning Tessaiga to its place. As soon as his other hand was free, he held her bridal style with both arms, to where Jaken would be waiting for him in the garage.

Thoughts swam and fought for dominance in Sesshoumaru's mind. Where had Kagome learned these healing abilities? Where did she learn to control and manipulate auras and how was she able to communicate with Tessaiga? Did she always have the ability to speak to the sword? So many questions, no answers. Kagome's heartbeat returned to normal but her body would not wake until it replenished its energy. It would be a long night of waiting until the miko would wake. He would get his answers then.

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Thank you for such great reviews. I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to everyone yet. I know this chapter was kind of short but I wanted the events of this chapter to have its own section. And I didn't want the time between updates to be far apart.

Thank you to the two readers who noticed my flub-up. I fixed it before anyone else read lol. Thank you again for being such great reviews and readers.

Echo


	7. Sunday Brunch

CHAPTER 7:Sunday Brunch

Sundays. Kagome loved Sundays. She did not want to open her eyes just yet even though the sun was doing its best to convince her otherwise. Instead, she just lay with her eyes closed, taking in the smells of her room. Something wasn't right though. This room didn't smell like her perfume or lingering incense aroma. Great, now she would _have_ to open her eyes to see what was going on.

Blue eyes slowly peeked from under their hoods. The first thing Kagome saw was an indigo canopy draped over a dark stained, mahogany frame. _Where am I?_ As soon as the question came, memories filled her foggy mind of a hospital and flying and Shippo and long, impossibly long silver hair.

Kagome shot straight up and groaned as she fell back to the bed. That was way too fast. And why was she so weak? Oh yeah, she and Tessaiga two-stepped last night. Or was it last night? These things usually took her a while to recover from, maybe it was…when did she and Sesshoumaru go to the hospital? There was a light knocking at the door followed by a creaking sound as a small servant made her way into the room Kagome slept in.

"Good morning, madam, my name is Akiko. Lord Sesshoumaru requests that you join him for brunch when you are ready. You will find everything you need in this room and the adjoining bathroom. I am here to assist you if you would like."

Kagome held onto her head, in fear that it would explode with all the talking. She got _morning, Sesshoumaru, brunch, bathroom_ out of that little monologue. Hmm, she must be at his house. A few more blinks and Kagome saw a small demoness in a yukata bowing to her at the foot of her bed.

"What time is it?" she managed to mutter.

"It is ten forty-three, Sunday morning. My lord informed me you were awake."

"Do you guys have hot cocoa?"

The maid smiled and straightened. "We have many kinds of cocoa from all over the world-"

"Can you bring me the strongest one? Thanks."

"Um," Akiko fidgeted, "of course. Any in particular?"

"The strongest you have, add a lot of cream and sugar. Please." Minding her manners was a strain this morning.

"As you wish, lady."

Kagome didn't notice Akiko leave as she stumbled to the bathroom in search of the shower. There was no way she would survive this day, come hell or high water if she didn't accomplish two things: showering to wake the body and cocoa to wake the mind. There was the bathroom door, only a few steps away.

A shaky hand reached for the doorknob and twisted it open. "Damnit." That was the closet door. _Please let this not be a sign of the day to come._ The handle next to the closet door ended up being the bathroom and Kagome stumbled in to start her morning ritual.

Fifteen minutes later, an open-eyed Kagome stepped out of her steam session, squeaky clean and feeling half awake. There on a small dining table near the window was a steaming cup of hot chocolate. The scent of the liquid goodness had her nose in the air like a dog. The first sip slid down her throat and she was in heaven. _I have to tell Sesshoumaru that the servant really knows how to take care of her people!_

Next to the steaming mug was a small hand-written note.

_Tanaka-san and his family will join us for brunch. They arrive at 11:30._

_Sesshoumaru_

Tanaka…Tanaka…

Why did that name sound so familiar? After closing her eyes and rewinding back a few conversations, Kagome remembered that she had met him at the museum and he had invited her to his family's home for brunch. Eleven thirty huh? Kagome looked at the clock on the bedside table and shrieked.

Akiko entered the room. "What is wrong, madam?"

"It's eleven seventeen!"

Akiko smiled. This woman that her master insisted be taken care of was acting in a way she was familiar with now. "Don't worry. Lord Sesshoumaru has arranged for clothing to be sent. I laid it out on the bed for you. At this home, Lord Sesshoumaru prefers the more traditional clothing."

Kagome walked to the bed and saw a beautiful cream-colored yukata sparsely decorated with pink and red sakura blossoms. "He has really good taste."

"Indeed," Akiko answered as she pushed Kagome towards a vanity near the closet. "Let me help you so you can be on time."

By the time Kagome had slipped her yukata on, It was three minutes till the time Tanaka-san was due to arrive with his family. "I can't believe how fast you are. You're amazing."

"Thank you, madam. And you are beautiful."

Kagome turned to look in the full length mirror and suddenly she was back in the past, looking at a smiling Sango as she donned a new yukata Miroku had bought her in one of the villages they had passed through. As the memory faded, Kagome did appreciate her appearance. Akiko was truly amazing to have put her together in a mere ten minutes.

"I wish I could take you home with me," Kagome wished out loud, only making Akiko laugh.

"That would be wonderful," Akiko agreed. "Two minutes! Hurry, you know what Lord Sesshoumaru's like."

_You have no idea_, Kagome replied silently. _No idea._

Sesshoumaru met Kagome in the hall outside of her temporary room and extended an elbow for her. "You look very nice."

Kagome stared at the elbow near her as if it were a puzzle she had to figure out. Memories of a missing arm and green acid came to her and suddenly she was afraid.

"What do you have to fear in an extended arm?" Sesshoumaru said as gentle as he could manage.

Kagome shivered, took a calming breath, and reached out to place her smaller hand on his forearm. "I used to have a lot to fear of your arm in particular."

Sesshoumaru led the way down the hall and towards the garden in the back of the mansion where their guests were gathering. "I deeply regret the way I treated you when we were younger. I can only say that I am more able to enjoy life since we are no longer fighting for our lives and I wish to do everything in my power to replace old memories with new ones."

Kagome fidgeted on Sesshoumaru's arm. "I'm really sorry, I'm having one hell of a time trying to remember what era I'm in and it's bad enough that this all feels like a dream." She took another breath, her thoughts were still a jumble and her free arm fidgeted with the sash at her waist. "Have you ever felt like you were trapped in a dream but it was so real and wonderful that you wished it was your reality?"

Sesshoumaru pushed the French doors in the kitchen open, again leading her to the backyard. Yesterday, Kagome hadn't taken everything in. She had come out to clear her mind from shock at seeing her feudal family still alive. Today, in the early afternoon sun, Kagome could see just how immaculate everything was. Grass, those bush sculpture things, fountains, everything except for a slight depression of grass and dirt to the far right where Seiichi once lay.

"How did you know that I made an appointment with Tanaka?" Kagome was being led to a small garden in the corner of the well-kept grass yard. It was quite a walk but with the tall plants and trees in the garden, it gave the impression of solitude.

"He called your phone to confirm. Shippo recognized the number and answered for you. We invited him here since I was not sure how long it would take you to recover."

Kagome's lips quirked up. "Thank you for being so thoughtful."

Sesshoumaru smiled back, erasing all traces of intelligent thought from Kagome's mind. "It is my pleasure to do so."

The garden retreat was beautiful. The perimeter was drowned in wildflowers and tall trees that gave the correct impression of solitude. Sesshoumaru led her down the stone path where the sound of children laughing filtered to them.

"Over the years, as time passed and villages became cities, Inuyasha traveled far to find a quiet place to call his own. He rarely asked for anything and one day asked for a small corner to build a shrine. I agreed, my brother needed to keep busy to stay out of trouble, so together he and Seiichi built this shrine or garden retreat."

Kagome concentrated on her history lessons and asked, "was the shrine built for a specific purpose?"

Sesshoumaru nodded once but did not answer. Instead at the end of the path he brought her attention to a large stone with writing carved into its face.

_To Kagome, the bringer of a brighter future, hope, friendship, and for finding worth in everyone, including a worthless hanyou._

"He built this for me?" Tears welled up, threatening to fall down a flushed face. "Did he know I would come?"

"No," Sesshoumaru answered. "He did not build this with the knowledge of you ever stepping foot here. He confided in me that you were the first to show him what peace was and he wished to share that with whom ever sought refuge from the world. He intended it to be a meditation garden but we have also found it useful to house the bodies of those we love who have passed on."

Sesshoumaru nodded to a circular clearing beyond a row of trees. "My brother rests here as well as other members of our family who died throughout the years."

Kagome did not miss the longing she heard in her escort's voice. How could she? It was just a few years ago that he was spitting out threats on her life but she would have to remember just how long it had been for Sesshoumaru. Five hundred years of change to her ten. She wanted to go and see Inuyasha's grave but two little voices behind her broke her train of thought.

"Grandma, Papa. You guys took so long! We're hungry…" Moriko took Sesshoumaru's hand and Hotaru-Kagome's. They were being dragged to a larger clearing where she saw Shippo, Rin, and who she guessed to be Tanaka and family. Sesshoumaru sat on the large mat and signaled her to join him on his right.

"Here's our little hero," Tanaka said standing and bowing as Kagome and Sesshoumaru came into view. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru, for inviting us to your lovely home. This is my mate, Aiko.

"Good day, Aiko," Sesshoumaru nodded. "I am not so old that I would forget Mrs. Tanaka."

Kichizo Tanaka laughed and waved a hand. "I wouldn't be too sure about that now, son." Then turning his attention to Kagome, Kichizo introduced his wife to her as well. "This is the charming girl who seems to know of things of the past my dear."

"Oh never mind that," Aiko Tanaka shushed her husband. "How are you feeling dear? Shippo told us about your ordeal last night and I was surprised that you're even up and about so early. It was very kind of you, Sesshoumaru, to invite us here."

Sesshoumaru lowered his tea cup. "The servants here love having company. Too often they complain about not having anything to do. I wanted Kagome to get as much rest as she could."

"Yes," Kichizo said, remembering the previous topic. "How _were_ you able to wield Tessaiga my dear? That sword only worked for two people, one of which sits with us today."

Cocoa was not a magic drink but it did wake her up a bit. Unfortunately not to the point that she could keep up with the fast-talking demons. Kagome did not know how to answer that so she looked to Sesshoumaru for help or guidance, grateful for which ever he felt like giving. When she saw a slight nod from him, he had given her a sort of permission to share her story. These people could be trusted. Her long pause had Tanaka speaking again.

"I'm sorry. I did not tell you that I am in close business with our Sesshoumaru, here." This was only the second time Kagome had met with him after all. "I am an architect of demon and human buildings and I helped the boy here build that hospital and more like it around the world. I know of Tessaiga's history. I was also around when it was forged."

Kagome again, looked at Sesshoumaru for confirmation and he gave another nearly imperceptible nod. "Do you know the story of Sesshoumaru's father's grave?"

"Shippo divulged what details some time ago, saying that he wasn't a part of Inuyasha's pack until later. The kit merely mentioned that you and Inuyasha traveled to his father's grave and found it there."

Kagome nodded. "We did travel to his grave. That's where I met Tessaiga for the first time, embedded in a bone platform. I wasn't even the first to see it though. Sesshoumaru got there first and tried pulling it out, but it wouldn't budge. Not even for Inuyasha."

"Now this sounds like an interesting story," Tanaka commented while he made himself comfortable and piled more finger foods on his plate.

Kagome took another sip of her tea. "It was. This was where all my adventures would begin. Well, since neither brother could pull out the sword, Sesshoumaru got mad and started beating on Inuyasha."

"On your brother?" Aiko Tanaka asked, not believing that the Sesshoumaru who sat across from her was capable...okay, yes he was.

"I would rather think of it as early training for him."

"Hmph, you _would_."

Hearing the way Kagome sassed Sesshoumaru had Kichizo's eyebrows lifting. No one talked to the Western Lord in such a fashion. No one except Inuyasha that is. Not even Sesshoumaru's own son Seiichi, who was not present strangely enough.

"Anyways, they started fighting and Inuyasha had taken a particularly hard hit. I got mad and reached for anything that I could beat Sesshoumaru with-"

This time it was Kichizo to interrupt the story. "You beat up Sesshoumaru? I don't believe it!"

Kagome gave a sardonic laugh. "That's because I didn't. The only thing that was near me other than skeletal parts was Tessaiga so I pulled him out and pointed it at Sesshoumaru and yelled something at him."

"That's rich, Sesshoumaru! I'm surprised you let her live."

Before Sesshoumaru could tell his side of the story, Kagome butted back in. "Oh, he tried to kill me with his acid-"

"Wait now," A snort, followed by raucous laughter rang across the yard. "Are you telling me that I sit across from the only person that has ever survived Lord Sesshoumaru's acid?" Seeing Sesshoumaru sigh was enough of a sign. Kichizo burst into laughter again.

"I don't see what's so funny, my dear. That must have been horrifying for poor Kagome."

Tanaka could not stop laughing for another minute and even then, a few guffaws escaped between words. "We have a jewel of the past in our presence! If Kagome were an object, she would be placed in the very museum we built! I knew I liked you the moment you stepped into the meeting room. What happened next? I must know!"

Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru for the next part. "From what I can remember, he looked pretty pissed and confused after I came up from the melted mess around me. He ended up transforming into the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. His transformed state took up most of the room in the grave. Inuyasha stayed down to fight against Sesshoumaru while I climbed up and out. Once we were out of the grave, Sesshoumaru came for Tessaiga again and that's when Inuyasha cut off his arm."

"Now it all makes sense," Tanaka said, nodding. Then he sat still for a minute.

Aiko looked at Kagome with a twinkle in her blue-green eyes. "I wonder what that sly dog had in mind to let you pull his sword out. We were born around the same time as Sesshoumaru's father was. Now I don't know if Sesshoumaru ever told anyone this but his father used to get into so much mischief when he was younger. That is why he was a great tactician. He used to practice on the boys as we grew up."

"Really? Your father was a trouble-maker? I wonder how come you didn't inherit some of those genes." When Sesshoumaru did nothing but lift an eyebrow at her questioning, Kagome turned her attention to the Tanakas who were filling plates of grandchildren who came for second and third helpings. "I have a question for you Mrs. Tanaka. What was Sesshoumaru like when he was younger?"

Aiko's eyes scanned the powerful lord across from her. "Well, he was shorter."

"Shorter? Oh you've got to have juicier stuff than that. You were close friends of the family, you must have had children that played with him."

"Oh yes!" Aiko looked around before looking at her wristwatch, "and he will be here soon. His name is Toshiyuki, Toshi we call him. I guess he was the equivalent of a playmate for your Sesshoumaru."

"Those two would always get into trouble when Sesshoumaru's mother and I weren't watching. He did inherit those trouble-making genes. I remember one time they were trying to be spies for Junior-"

"Wait...who's Junior?" Kagome interrupted.

Kichizo answered saying, "That was Sesshoumaru's father's name. Well, not his real name but he didn't want to be reminded of his father, a powerful and harsh demon."

"We called him Junior instead," Aiko added with a smile.

"Well, amongst other things, but yes. We agreed that Junior would serve the purpose of telling his name and status and he didn't actually have to hear his given name in the process."

Kagome was stumped. "Well, that's completely anti-climatic isn't it?"

"Indeed. I guess Junior's father had a weak name and made up for it with brute strength. There was no love lost in that family when he died. But back to the story.

"Sesshoumaru and our son Toshi were being spies for Junior one day and hopped onto the carts of a caravan of dye makers. Sesshoumaru saw one of the men steal something from the market of the town's seamstress and went aboard to investigate.

"In some of the barrels were goods that had no business being in barrels. Come to find out, our sons had stumbled onto the band of thieves that had been pillaging towns along the road. When the thieves came back to their wagons and carts, Sesshoumaru and Toshi hid in two of the empty barrels that were partially filled with liquids. And as the men drove off I guess they hit a few too many bumps in the road and the boys were soaking wet.

Tanaka smiled, remembering what happened. He told this story every chance he got. "Well, that night, the boys didn't return home. We were all convinced that they were fine, the ties between mother and child remained strong but Junior...he was always a worrier and he had every right to be I guess. In his day, trouble found Junior. It didn't matter where he was and Junior thought that perhaps the same could be said for his son.

"Junior and I ran out and searched for the boys all through the night and just as the morning chill set in, we found them in a cave behind a waterfall, naked as the day they were born. Sesshoumaru had deep purple marks all over his body and my son Toshi had dark red. Junior was furious and demanded to know what happened and why they looked that way, neglecting the fact that his son's hair was just as purple as his skin." Tanaka paused, waiting for Kagome to make the connection and he was not disappointed.

Kagome lifted a hand to cover the smile that stretched across her face. "They hid in dye barrels? That's rich!" A healthy full laugh left Kagome's body followed by Kichizo's and Aiko's.

"Yes," Aiko agreed. "But at first Junior was livid. He thought something bad had befallen his son until the boys explained what happened. Sesshoumaru was so ashamed of his purple hair so Junior suggested he just cut it, which is unheard of in the higher ranks of demon royalty. Now what was it you told your mother when she asked about it when you finally came home, Sesshoumaru?"

"I do not recall this particular tale."

"Aww, Sesshy, now don't be like that." Kagome pouted and lifted sad puppy eyes to him while tugging on the sleeve closest to her. "It's not often I get to hear about the Great Lord of the West when he was a child."

The whole time the Tanakas weaved their story, Sesshoumaru had a distracted gaze in the open field where the children played. He sighed and turned his head towards Kagome at his side. "I fell asleep too close to the camp fire and Toshiyuki cut the charred ends off for me the next morning."

"Your mother believed that her awesome son slept too close to the fire?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"My mother was an understanding woman. My father told her the story later no doubt."

The Tanakas were in the middle of their second tale when the children's voices grew louder.

"Toshi! Toshi is here!"

"Oh, our son is here!" Aiko chirped and smiled. A tall man, slightly shorter than Sesshoumaru, walked towards the picnicking group. He wore khaki pants and a sky blue polo with matching eyes, black shoes and belt, with knee-length caramel-colored hair tied into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His stride was an easy one, both hands in his pockets and a grin that suggested he did not grow up with a certain serious demon lord.

"Toshi, my boy. Welcome back, son. How was America?" Kichizo pat the empty space next to him and waited for his son to sit down.

"It was good, father. Mother, you're looking robust." Toshi bent to kiss his mother's cheek before sitting. "Sessh, thanks for the invite."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "You never need one. How fares your American branches?"

"Oh, Americans...they're a _special_ kind of people."

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru agreed. "That is why I sent Jaken there. I figured he would thrive in that kind of an environment. My American branches are overseen by my grandchildren who have come into the company. I travel only for Regional Conferences when it is necessary for me to be there. But that is enough talk about work. Toshiyuki, this is an old friend of my brother, Kagome Higurashi. Kagome, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Kichizo's third son."

Kagome bowed her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Toshiyu-"

"Just call me Toshi. All my friends do," Toshi said with a smile that bordered on a little too friendly. "And I do hope we become good friends."

A nervous chuckle escaped Kagome. "Yes, that would be...nice." She leaned towards Sesshoumaru without noticing. "Toshiyuki Tanaka," Kagome let the name roll off her tongue.

"Yes?"

"Your name sounds very familiar, I'm trying to remember from where..."

Toshi wasted no time in serving himself some food. "I am the founder of YukiNaka Security. We deal in security for homes, businesses, computers, whatever you need secured, we take care of it."

"No," Kagome shook her head. "That's not it. I know you or your name from something else. Toshiyuki, Toshiyuki," Kagome chanted, hoping to pull it out of the recesses of her mind. "Oh well. It will come to me one day."

"One day," the newest arrival agreed. "So, you say you're an old friend of Inuyasha's huh?"

This was by far the most fruit Kagome had eaten in one sitting in a very long time. She put her plate down in front of her. If it weren't for the company, she would have loosened up her pants a bit. "We used to travel together a long time ago. How did you know Inuyasha?"

Toshi took a bite of another strawberry. "I met him after Seiichi was born, several times throughout the years as mine and Sessh's paths began to cross more and more often through business."

"Oh, I was already gone by then."

"You're human. I'm not mistaken, am I?" Toshi looked to Sesshoumaru for confirmation, which he got.

"She is human but apparently the gods had designs for her and she ended up on a journey with my brother several hundred years ago. Did I not tell you about the shikon miko, the priestess who destroyed Naraku alongside my brother?"

"Don't pull my leg, Sess. That was over five hundred years ago." The smile left Toshi's face.

"Believe what you will. I have no reason to lie."

Toshi's eyes shot over to Kagome's blue ones. "_You_ are the Shikon Miko? The great fabled one that beat that hanyou all those years ago?"

Kagome gave a sheepish smile.

Toshi was shocked. For years he had hounded Sesshoumaru for information on that particular battle but his friend honestly had no information at the time recently following Naraku's destruction. He wasn't to learn more about the strange woman until later as his relationship with Inuyasha's pack grew. "You said she was peculiar and wore strange clothing. Her speech was the same but different and her outlook on all she encountered could not have been cultivated there." Then to Kagome, Toshi asked "did you somehow travel through time?"

Kagome nodded. "I did but that way had been closed to me when my mission ended with Naraku's destruction. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get back."

"Wow."

"You're telling me."

The late morning turned into late afternoon and the servants changed the dishes on the table to accommodate everyone for an early dinner. Throughout the conversations, Kagome had learned much about the Tanaka's history with Sesshoumaru's family and vice versa. It proved to be very educational.

"And that brings us to our hand in the museum," Kichizo said. "Sesshoumaru footed the bill and I created the specialized needs for some of the demonic and holy powers that would be housed within the walls of the building. And then there are some items that we had to make replicas of because they were unsafe to keep in public reach, isn't that so, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru settled a bored gaze on Kichizo Tanaka. "My swords have no business leaving the mansion. They would be too much a temptation for the weaklings of this world. I spare myself the trouble of tracking down a troublesome sword and the fool who would think to take it."

"Always the realist, eh Sess?" Toshi said.

Dinner was a light affair. Questions had been asked and answers shared as the Tanakas came to know the unsung hero of their past, Kagome, the shikon miko. Sesshoumaru sensed Kagome growing weary and told his guests as much and thanked them for coming. Tomorrow, Sesshoumaru would drive Kagome back into town and she would start another week.

"Maybe I can stop by the hospital while you're there and check up on the little guy," Kagome suggested as they retired to their rooms for the night.

A glow entered Sesshoumaru's eyes, warming his overall appearance. "We would enjoy your presence there. Your energy is very soothing."

Kagome smiled as she said goodnight to Sesshoumaru, now a friend and her link to the past. Things were finally starting to look up.

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**Author's Note:**

Well now, isn't that an interesting turn of events? Sorry it's taken me so long to get this out. Life happened I guess. This chapter is about twice as long as previous chapters so hopefully that will feed the readers for a while.

And yes, I'm still working on Alpha and Omega. I haven't forgotten that one.

Just to let you all know, my friend FairDrea has started another one of her fabulous stories called "The Way It Should Be." Here's the link to that story:

.net/s/4939388/1/The_Way_It_Should_Be

It's a Ninja Turtles fic, Donatello's story about traveling through time into the future. It's some of her best work yet. Give it a shot. You won't be disappointed.

Echo Huntress


	8. Memories

**CHAPTER 8: Memories**

Kagome was returned home Sunday night after reassuring Sesshoumaru that she would take it easy when it came to volunteering at Tokyo Memorial.

"If you need anything, do not hesitate to call. We would like to have you over on the weekends if you do not work, to make up for lost time."

Kagome grinned, her cheeks a light pink. "I would love that," she answered before wishing him a good night.

"Good night, Kagome. I am glad we have found you." Sesshoumaru gave a slight nod of his head and turned to walk down the stairway. Kagome watched until she couldn't see trace of silver hair, then ran to her window to watch him walk back to his limo.

With a sigh, Kagome flopped onto her love seat and did something she hadn't done for over a decade. She giggled. Next weekend wouldn't come soon enough.

…

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…

Kagome had done just as Sesshoumaru had suggested and called Tokyo Memorial, informing them that she was recovering from something or other and would not be able to come in at all. They had reassured her that they would survive and Kagome was left to working at the museum. Her work load was a bit lighter with the impromptu tour out of the way now. In fact, after the past weekend, things were rather…boring.

Aya had just given her a list of small projects, the inventory list of items that had been shipped in over the past few days and the items that other museums requested to borrow. Blah blah blah. It was Wednesday and the last two days felt like weeks. Kagome was in the employee lounge trying to find lunch in one of the vending machines when her phone rang.

She shifted her money into one hand and opened her phone with the other. "Hello?"

"Kagome, it's Aya. There's a gentleman here to see you. Says his name's Toshi."

A few hunger-induced seconds passed before Kagome could place that name. She shoved the loose change back in her pocket and fumbled around. A small spark of teenage giddiness bubbled in her. "Um, tell him I'll be right up. Where are you guys?"

"We're at the front desk."

Kagome smiled. "Okay. I'm on my way." With a snap of her phone and a few jumbled steps into the hallway, Kagome made it to the main entrance of the museum in near-record time.

"Toshi! What brings you here?"

Toshi's sky blue eyes twinkled. "Hunger. Would you like to join me for lunch?"

"Um…" Kagome looked to Aya for help and Aya grinned and nodded.

"Kagome would love to join you for lunch," Aya said while grabbing Kagome's hand and giving it to Toshi. "Don't worry, she's the boss so you can take as long as you like. We'll just say you're out on business if anyone's looking for you. Go. Have fun."

Kagome was speechless at Aya's actions and no doubt Toshi would think her assistant mad as well. "So, lunch huh? Where did you have in mind?"

Toshi led Kagome to the curb. "I know this great sandwich shop downtown. Priya's, have you heard of it?"

"No," Kagome answered as she pulled out her phone. "I'm going to call a cab," she said while texting someone. Toshi waited patiently next to Kagome while she stood, not hailing a cab. She smiled when Toshi asked if telepathy was one of her gifts. "No," Kagome answered. "There he is, come on." Toshi looked and saw a couple of cabs heading towards them. The door she opened belonged to a cab with the 'Not in Service' light on.

"This taxi isn't-"

"Come on," Kagome said while scooting over. "We're costing him money."

"Where you guys going, Kagome?" The cabby asked.

"You two know each other?" Toshi asked, very surprised.

"We're going downtown, to Priya's. I'll buy you a sandwich," Kagome answered. "Thanks for coming, Akihiro."

"No prob." And then eye-balling the male passenger, Akihiro answered "we have an arrangement."

Toshi's brows furrowed. "He's a demon."

"And what?" the driver asked, rather gruff and put out at the new passenger.

"Nothing," Toshi said waving his hand. "Forget I even said anything."

Akihiro took off and to Toshiyuki's great surprise, the normally twenty-five minute to half hour drive took a mere nine minutes. Kagome smiled. She didn't know exactly how Akihiro managed to arrive faster than normal drivers but when Toshi asked, she relayed the same message Akihiro told her when she asked. "Ask him no questions, he'll tell you no lies," and with that they stepped out of the cab onto the sidewalk.

Kagome found out that Toshi was rather hilarious. He was almost a perfect blend of Hojo's nice, thoughtful personality without the idiocy and Miroku's flirtatious nature without the groping. It was rather refreshing, added with his history with Sesshoumaru and yet another link to the past, Toshi was proving to be quite an enjoyable person to be around.

After forty minutes of food and talk, Toshi had insisted that he not make Kagome unnecessarily late for work. With Akihiro's help, Kagome was back to the museum within the hour and back to hear Aya's incessant questioning. It wasn't normal for Aya but neither was Kagome going out on lunch dates with extremely good-looking men.

"We had lunch, we talked, and we came back. What more is there to say?" Kagome said, hiding her smirk, knowing Aya craved details.

"What is he like? Where did you meet him? You don't pay me enough to keep details from me. You pay me to _know_ details, now spill!" The look Aya fixed on Kagome could have killed Naraku. Luckily, Sesshoumaru was scarier.

"He is a friend of a friend. I met him at a luncheon one day-"

"And do I know this friend?" Aya's eyes were wide, waiting to soak in information.

Kagome sighed. Aya wouldn't rest until she got what she wanted, and she was right. Kagome _did_ pay her to know details.

"Remember that guy I spilled my cocoa on? His name is Seiichi Sekiguchi. Well, his uncle was my best friend and I knew his father. Once I, or we, made the connection, he invited me to his father's estate and we spent the weekend catching up. Seiichi's sister and her family were there. So, I pretty much knew everyone except for him."

"Wow," Aya shook her head in disbelief. "That was pretty…anti-climatic and yet, strange." Kagome agreed whole-heartedly that it was strange but she knew that Seiichi was born after she had already left. "So which one is your friend?"

A smile slipped into Kagome's eyes. "His father, Sesshoumaru. I met him through his brother, Inuyasha, when we went to visit his father's grave one day. The brothers weren't getting along at that point so it was a little awkward, but things were different by the time Inuyasha died. Sesshoumaru's changed a lot since we first met."

"Whoa, wait a minute." Aya's eyes grew wide. "Do you mean Sesshoumaru Sekiguchi?"

"You know him?" Kagome hadn't even heard mention of his name outside of her memories. "How?"

"He's only been the most eligible bachelor since I can remember. Seiichi is the second most eligible bachelor. I can't believe you know that family." Aya sat on the nearest platform belonging to an antique samurai suit. "No one sees his highness, ever. Well, except for the annual state ball where all the great charity founders attend. He only goes once every five years and I think this year he's due this year. I wonder who he's going to take."

Kagome put all that information in a safe place. "Highness? Is he still Lord of the West?"

Aya looked incredulously at Kagome. "Yeah. He's the largest name in technology. Everything from medicine to military. His main customers are the United States, United Kingdom, most of Europe for that matter. They call him the Eastern Lord of the West."

So he didn't have his inherited title, or maybe these days it didn't matter as much to demons. Kagome would ask him later. "I had no clue. I knew he went to work but I never bothered asking him what he did. Jeez, how does he even handle that?"

Kagome and Aya made their way back to Kagome's office while Aya dropped all the details she knew. "Well, from what I know, it's a really big family business. He has cousins or siblings…" As Aya rambled on, Kagome wondered who exactly were these family members were that ran the Sekiguchi monster corporation.

...

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...

When a limo from the mansion came to pick Kagome up from work Friday afternoon, they made a detour to her apartment so she could grab a few essentials. She had spent the week putting together an apology gift for Seiichi that she thought he would appreciate as well as gifts for the rest of the family members. Kagome couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces. Not working as a Life Assistant freed up a lot of time in the evenings, which she dedicated to her gifts and she was so excited to hand them out!

The limo pulled up to the front of the mansion and two little girls were bouncing up and down, trying to get their grandmother's attention.

"Daddy! Mommy! Grandma's finally here!" Moriko and Hotaru called from the top of the stairs.

"Hello girls! Come help me with some things, will you?" The twins jumped from the top of the stairs to where Kagome stood at the trunk of the limo. "I need someone to call the family to the family room."

Hotaru jumped up and down. "I will Nana. I will!" And in the blink of an eye, Hotaru popped throughout the house calling the various family members to the family room and still had enough time to return and help Kagome take things inside. "Um, uncle Ichi isn't here."

Kagome's face fell a bit but she wasn't about to give up hope on Seiichi just yet. "Moriko, can you take this present and put it on your uncle's bed please?"

Moriko silently nodded and just as quickly as her sister, disappeared in the house. In minutes, the rest of the family sat around in the living room. The two girls were nestled in their parents' laps and Sesshoumaru sat in his large chair to the side of the couch.

"I had a lot of free time this week so I made these for you guys," Kagome said while giving the girls the presents to hand out. Moriko gave Papa Sesshoumaru his present and sat on the chair with him and Hotaru took her parents the present for Shippo's family.

"What's the occasion, Momma?" Shippo looked at the wrapped parcel curiously before shaking it.

Kagome shrugged. "When I was traveling between times, I felt like I was living two lives, which I was. But I never regretted what happened and when the well closed-" Kagome stopped. The memories were coming back but a little less painful this time around. "When the well closed, I felt like I was living a half life. Even after regaining my whole soul, I still felt like I only had half of it. After finding you guys once again, I feel like my life is complete and I just wanted you to have the things that kept me going when it was just me. When all in this world turned its back on me, you all kept me going. You just didn't know it." Tears were streaming down here face; they were accompanied by the occasional sniffle and wipe.

Kagome watched as her granddaughters opened the presents for the adults. "It's a book!" Hotaru yelled.

"No, it's pictures!" Moriko added. She flipped the cover open and stared at the pictures. "Papa, who's that?"

Sesshoumaru paused and his eyes grew old and soft. "That is my brother, Inuyasha. He is your grand uncle." When Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome, she could see the warmth and gratitude shining from his eyes. The smile he gave her melted her heart and more tears fell.

"Daddy, is that you?" Hotaru pointed at the picture in front of her.

Shippo laughed looking at his much younger self, sticking his tongue out at Inuyasha. "Kagome, I didn't realize you took all these pictures."

"I took a lot of pictures, especially towards the end when we didn't know what was going to happen. I was afraid I would get sent home and I would forget about all of you. I wanted proof that you were all real, that the adventure was real."

"Papa," Moriko's little voice asked from Sesshoumaru's lap. "Who's that girl?"

Sesshoumaru smiled. "That little girl is my guardian angel."

Dimples formed on Moriko's cheek. "Is that mommy?"

"Yes it is, Moriko."

"What?" Shippo ditched his wife and book to lean over the side of the couch. "Hey, Rin. I remember that orange checkered outfit. Was that the only outfit you ever wore back then?"

"No." Rin chuckled though, remembering that she would only replace it when it needed a wash. "It was just my favorite. That was the first present father had ever given me." Rin said from Shippo's side. "Oh my goodness, look at that pony tail. How could you let me walk around Japan like that?" Everyone had a good laugh at the pictures as they flipped through the pages. The group decided to look at one photo album at a time and the girls 'ooh'ed and 'ah'ed at all the stories their elders told them.

"Papa, is that you? Why were you fighting with uncle Inuyasha? Mommy said it's not good to fight."

Sesshoumaru's eyes met Kagome's in wonder. How did she take all these pictures without them ever noticing. He vaguely remembered Inuyasha yelling at Kagome, something about being crazy and it not being the right time for something. Now he understood what all those random flashes were.

"We were practicing," Sesshoumaru explained. "Your uncle could not even chop carrots with that sword. I had to teach him how to properly wield it." Sesshoumaru's eyes filled with mischief though his grin was small.

Moriko tapped her cheek. "That looks like the sword at the hospital."

"Tessaiga," Hotaru added. "And look. Papa's holding the sword we're not allowed to touch. That's the bad one."

Kagome was a pretty good photographer to have taken many of Sesshoumaru's pictures in the middle of a fight. What treasures these pictures were. As they reached the end of Sesshoumaru's photo album, he thanked her for her thoughtfulness. "I was rather sad that I did not have photos of my brother while he was alive. Cameras barely made it to Japan in his last years but he would not sit still. Thank you for this. I will treasure it always."

As everyone situated themselves on the couch to look through Shippo's album, a familiar presence passed through the halls.

"Son, join us for a short time. We are looking at albums Kagome has made us."

Seiichi stopped at the door but did not look in. "No thank you, father. I am weary and will retire early. I will see you all tomorrow."

Kagome watched him leave, her heart a little heavy at his constant rejection of her. They had definitely started off on the wrong foot but hopefully he would find his present and take time to look through it.

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Seiichi walked into his room, noticing right away the scent of his niece. She had left that immaculately wrapped gift on the corner of his bed, where she knew he would see it. As Seiichi walked up to the gift, he scented Kagome on it and his lip curled. He walked away. She was just like every other woman that had entered his father's life-for the money. And here she was buying him gifts. Pathetic.

After divesting himself of his work clothes, loose-fitting work out clothes replaced them. He looked at his bed. The gift was still there. After sorting through the mail and going through a small booklet from work, the gift still waited patiently to be opened.

Insatiable curiosity passed through the bloodline from Seiichi's forefathers, down to him. His king-sized bed sagged under him as he sat on the edge and picked up the lap-sized gift. A plain white envelope sat atop and he sliced through the top edge with a finger-nail. The card was in Kagome's hand-writing.

_Seiichi,_

_You will never know how sorry I am that we started off our association with me mistaking you for someone else. I know the pains of constantly being compared to a look alike and living in their shadow and for that I am truly sorry. _

Seiichi rolled his eyes. What could that woman possibly know about mistaken identity? In his younger years, he got a kick out of being mistaken for his father. He reveled in the awesome power that his father's name was weighed with and what he could get away with but as he grew up, Seiichi realized just how much he wanted to be his own person. Inuyasha always tried to help him realize how much better he already was than his father in personality but his uncle never short-changed Sesshoumaru when it came to earned strength.

'Sesshoumaru was strong because he needed to be. He had a land that needed a strong and steady ruler. You have what you have because of your father, just like I used to use Tessaiga to protect me and my friends. Eventually you're gonna have to build up your own strength so pay attention while the old man's still around. Then when you get stronger and I'm not here, knock him down a few notches, tell him it's from me.' Uncle Inuyasha had a hard time wording important messages to him but Seiichi usually understood what he was trying to say.

'_I heard that Inuyasha took care of you when you were young. I wish I could have known you then. I just wanted to give you something so you could know the Inuyasha that I knew. I won't lie. He was brash, mouthy, stubborn, and just plain dumb sometimes but his heart, courage, love for his pack, and loyalty outweighed those things every time. I loved your uncle and he has changed my life for the better. I hope you like it._

_Kagome Higurashi' _

Seiichi tossed the letter on his bed and slowly unwrapped the present. Just like the rest of his family, he received a photo album but his was titled 'Inuyasha's Pack'. The first page was a picture of Goshinboku in the past and one of the tree in the future labeled, 'where we first met'. Seiichi flipped the page and saw a young version of his uncle holding a transformed Tessaiga on his shoulder and his stupid grin on his face. 'Inuyasha just learned the Backlash wave'. Across from that picture was another picture of the valley he made while fighting that dragon demon. All around the picture was a hand-written account of how that battle went and how his sword got lighter after defeating the demon.

The photo album was large and filled with pictures and detailed accounts of their travels and various important events that took place. Because the album was of Inuyasha's pack, there was even a picture of a priestess that he had once heard of and her story. It was then that Seiichi realized and imagined how intimately Kagome knew the pains of mistaken identity as he looked at the woman named Kikyo who so closely resembled the woman downstairs.

As the son of the great lord slowly turned through the pages, he could smell old tears and feel the emotions imbued in every word and photo of the book. This must have been Kagome's personal book so why did she give it to him? There were many candid pictures; it was like a photo album of the older Japanese dramas on tv. The sneaky wench had even gotten some pictures of the rulers of old Japan.

As Seiichi reached the end of the photo album, the last two pictures stilled him. The first was a picture of the two Inu brothers standing side by side. Inuyasha was posturing with Tessaiga pointing at Seiichi's father while his father looked at the camera. The last picture was with the whole shard-hunting group. Kagome stood on the left with her bow and arrow in hand, then Inuyasha holding a transformed Tessaiga with tiny Shippo on his shoulder. The monk stood next to Inuyasha holding his staff and the woman Sango on the other end with her bone boomerang and Kilala on her shoulder. Kaede sat on a small bench in front of the whole group with a bow and arrow across her lap. The caption beneath the picture read 'My Feudal Family: Before the Final Battle'.

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Everyone was in the kitchen, snacking and still looking over pictures when Seiichi came down and joined them. A light tension grew as he walked closer to where they were all sitting, book in hand.

Kagome knew the moment he entered the room and stiffened in response but she kept talking to Rin as though nothing was going on. But when he came to stand beside her, she couldn't help but turn. "Did you get your present? I had one of the girls put it in your room for you."

"I did," Seiichi said, lifting the book a bit before laying it on the table. "Thank you. I shall treasure it always. I brought it because I knew Rin would pester me until I did."

Kagome smiled, happy that he liked the gift. "I'm glad you like it," she said, smiling with as much warmth as she could muster without crying. "That book is very special to me. it was the first of its kind and has many detailed accounts of our battles. I think your father is in there too," Kagome said, shooting a glance at Sesshoumaru, "but please keep in mind that we didn't really get along back then." Kagome smiled when Sesshoumaru stiffened. "In fact, Seiichi, now that I think about it, I think you're the first in your line that _hasn't_ tried to kill me when we first met, although I know you wanted probably wanted to."

When Seiichi's expression lightened, Kagome's heart warmed. This was what she was waiting for, the moment that would tip the scales in her favor for winning over a friend in Seiichi. She had counted on his love for Inuyasha to help bridge the growing chasm between them and it worked!. "The other two albums are right here if you want to look through them. There are a lot of pictures in them that aren't in your book."

Everyone held their breath, waiting for his answer. "I would like that." The twins stood from their chair and waited for their uncle to sit down before climbing on his lap.

"Look, this is mommy when she was little like us," one said as they flipped through the album together. The rest of the night Seiichi sat and listened to the stories recalled by his family members as they flipped through the albums.

Kagome looked over at Sesshoumaru who was watching her rather intently. Her smile told him she was finally happy. His eyes relayed the same message as he looked at her and his family across the table.

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Kagome feigned sleep when Akiko walked in. "Lady Kagome, Seiichi has requested to share breakfast with you this morning. He would like to eat in twenty minutes if it is alright with you."

Kagome rolled over to face the door where Akiko stood. "Wait, what did you just say?"

The servant walked forward with a cup of steaming chocolate that she gave to Kagome. "Seiichi wishes you to join him for breakfast this morning." As Akiko set Kagome's cocoa on the small table by the window she added, "It looks like your attempts to get through to that boy finally worked. Congratulations." The servant smiled and bowed on her way out of the room.

Kagome stretched in bed. Today was going to be a good day.

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**Author's Note: **Sorry, I totally forgot that I had finished this chapter and it's been sitting on my flash drive just waiting to be uploaded. Yea, Kagome and Seiichi are kind of friends now!


	9. The Woman, Kagome Higurashi

**CHAPTER 9: **_The Woman, Kagome Higurashi_

Breakfast was a small affair. When Kagome reached the kitchen, Seiichi had laid out a light meal consisting of oatmeal, toast, scrambled eggs and orange juice at the breakfast nook, an informal area. He wanted this to be a relaxing apology breakfast as was apparent by the way he sat waiting for her in khaki pants and a white button up shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbow and top button undone. His newspaper was open across the table where he sat, eyes skimming over the small print as only demon eyes could.

"Good morning, Kagome."

His voice, only slightly higher than his father's, startled her. He hadn't even bothered to turn his head when he called her name. It must be an inuyoukai thing.

"Good morning to you too, Seiichi." Kagome waltzed in with her steaming mug in hand, one that the maid left in her room when she came to wake her this morning. "Did you make this yourself?"

"Yes."

"It looks delicious," Kagome sat across him with a smile. "Maybe we should get in fights more often." When she received no answer from him, not even a friendly glare she continued in a way he might recognize, her voice losing all tone. "Your apology breakfast is acceptable but next time I will require bacon as well."

Though Seiichi looked exactly like his father his reaction clearly stated that he was not. With a heavy sigh the newspaper was discarded and he flashed Kagome a look that said, 'are you kidding?' making her feel rather immature. Kagome looked at him with an uninterested look but he could see the way her face twitched, she wouldn't be able to hold that look much longer. "Your attempts to mimic my father are less than comical."

Kagome laughed. "I dunno, I thought it was pretty funny." She took another sip of her drink as Seiichi removed the lids from the food. A look of deep thought crossed her face. "Of course your father never thought it was funny either."

Seiichi's hand stilled. "And you're still alive? Interesting."

"You wouldn't believe the crap I tried to pull on him when we were younger."

There was a pause. "Tell me."

To anyone else it would have sounded like an order, but Kagome knew that tone too well. It was the same tone Inuyasha used when he was sick and needed some comfort. Stories, he always wanted stories.

"Did you father ever tell you how we met?"

"My father left all storytelling to his brother."

Kagome helped herself to a bowl full of steaming oatmeal, eggs and toast. "Yeah, I can just imagine what crap Inuyasha filled your head with when you were little." She smiled in memory of her brash and relatively young friend, fully knowing he would have elaborated on a few details that Sesshoumaru no doubt would have disagreed with.

It was nice-their conversation could have even been called pleasant. It appeared that the photo album did the trick to ease the tension that had festered between them since their first meeting at the museum and Seiichi had many questions to ask about his favorite and only uncle.

"You did not!"

"Well, I didn't know we were on a cliff. I was at the bottom of the hill and he was at the top or what I _thought_ was the top of a hill." It was one of the funniest things in retrospect but of course Inuyasha didn't appreciate being sat from the top of a thousand-foot high cliff. "I'm pretty sure that if Inuyasha had been any less than half-demon I would have inadvertently killed him several times over."

Seiichi could not help the curiosity that bubbled over when Rin explained the necklace that Inuyasha always wore, the necklace that Seiichi now kept under a glass case in his room. That side, the more immature side of his uncle, Seiichi had not known. The Inuyasha that watched over him and was his companion and mentor was more serious than what Kagome made him out to be.

Seiichi was aware of the sadness that would never quite leave his uncle's eyes. There were a few nights every year when Inuyasha's sadness was too much for him to bear and it was on those nights, those human nights that Seiichi would sit at his uncle's side and listen to tales of a special warrior miko who came from a far away land. Seiichi had a knack for hand art and painted pictures and with direction from his uncle he was able to give those memories form through parchment, brush, and charcoal.

From his side, Seiichi lifted a binder full of drawings in plastic sheet protectors and as he opened it, Kagome gasped in wonder. "These are really good! Did you do these?"

"I did. Inuyasha could not even draw stick figures," the young demon smirked.

"How old were you when you drew these?"

"Around a century or two."

Kagome eyed the first depiction of a television set, a car, what she guessed was supposed to be Buyo, and a house plan? "I didn't know Inuyasha actually paid attention."

The young demon snorted. "Uncle Yasha did not want to forget. He told me to always remember the stories and wait for the day when I would see these items. Then I would know the time was coming that the Shikon Miko would be born."

Kagome flipped the page and saw a crude map of the area around her family's shrine that included the rail line, the mall and her school. The more pictures she flipped through, the more detailed the drawings became. "This is really good for someone who's never seen a car before."

"Thank you."

The next page was the beginning of a series of portraits Seiichi had drawn of Inuyasha. The first few were done by a child's untrained hand and eventually the sketches evolved into the Inuyasha that she remembered. Her finger lovingly traced the fluffy two-dimensional ears at the top of the hanyou's head and her eyes watered.

"Uncle said he could never get you to leave his ears alone."

"I couldn't help myself."

The last pages started out as a blob and with each turn the blob turned into something she recognized with an aching heart. There, on the last page of the binder was a mirror image of her face, a younger face, with the title: Inuyasha's Warrior Miko.

"When I first saw you get out of your taxi, I knew you looked familiar. I could not place the memory of your face so I followed you to see if I could work it out in my mind. Well, you remember the rest."

Kagome's emotions were caught in her throat. "You are a very talented young man, Seiichi."

Seiichi scoffed. "Kagome, I am older than you, yet you call me young?"

She smiled. "Technically I was around centuries before you so we'll just say that you're younger. Sound good?" Kagome only received a raised brow for a response.

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Laughter, _her_ laughter, echoed through the halls and to his study. His briefcase was packed and it was off to the kitchen to grab something to eat. Every step taking him there was a step closer to the sweet sound he had waited centuries, nearly an eternity, to hear again.

There she was sitting at the breakfast nook with her head thrown back, that joyous sound escaping her lips again. The other sound that warmed his heart was his son's laughter, something he hadn't heard for a long time, the last time being right before Inuyasha's death.

"You should have seen your dad's face!" Kagome told Seiichi. She'd been laughing for the last fifteen minutes, telling Seiichi stories of the various encounters she'd had with the ferocious lord of the West. But she stopped when she saw Seiichi stiffen and as she opened her mouth to ask if he was okay, she felt it, that heavy youki, rush through her and over her skin like a desert summer air, stinging her, making her skin feel raw.

"What about my face should he have seen?"

Seiichi cringed at his father's irritated energy. Usually it was directed at him when he talked back to his father or did something the old dog didn't approve of, things that his uncle had encouraged him to do. But today he had simply been sitting in the company of an old family friend he'd been doing his best to apologize to.

After taking a good look at the unaffected Kagome, the young demon wondered if she was immune to the oppressive youki that filled the dining area.

Kagome's smile grew larger as Sesshoumaru came closer to them. "Are you hungry?" Not bothering to wait for an answer, Kagome started filling a plate for him. "Here, why don't you join us."

"No thank you, I-"

"Sit."

The way she spoke that single word indicated it was a natural command from her lips. Seiichi's eyes went wide at hearing that word and Sesshoumaru tensed where he stood. He realized too late that the woman had actually invited him to join her at the nook and had not meant to slam him into the ground but brought up his first thought. "You think to subdue me as you did my brother, miko?"

"Huh?" Kagome looked up from stacking more food on the plate she'd put together for Sesshoumaru. "Subdue?" After taking a few seconds to recall what she'd said, Kagome's eyes dimmed but she smiled regardless. "Oh, I didn't mean, I wasn't-"

"Hn."

It was that sparkle in his amber eyes and the slight lifting of his cheek that told of his amusement. Kagome narrowed her eyes playfully. "Still getting kicks out of picking on humans, huh?"

"Hardly. However, you neglected to tell me that your species would come to infest the world like rats. I would have rid Japan of its pests centuries ago if it weren't for you."

Kagome pretended offense and showed a smirk of her own. "Well, you can't blame me for not saying anything. I thought Inuyasha would have knocked you off one day so what would have been the point?"

No one had ever spoken to his father that way, of that Seiichi was sure. No one dared to utter such ridiculous words to such a powerful demon except his uncle and now Kagome.

Surely Kagome would be punished for speaking to her father that way and Seiichi felt bad because he was coming to appreciate her strange humor. In fact, after having talked to her but an hour this morning, Seiichi felt like he was seeing his uncle in a new light.

"Father, please-"

"Silence." Sesshoumaru turned his irritated gaze on the woman. "Knocked me off?"

Growing up, Seiichi knew that there was something different about the way his uncle spoke, about the knowledge behind his guarded amber eyes that was unlike anything else around him. Inuyasha had frequently called his visions of the future a curse. Seiichi could never figure out why his uncle didn't embrace the gift of the gods and now he understood as he looked across the table at the woman who smiled at his father, the only woman, no-the only being with whom his father felt at ease with other than Rin.

There was a playful glint in Sesshoumaru's eyes as they rolled at her comment. "As if he could. The whelp could not even wield his sword correctly until after this Sesshoumaru's instruction." Sesshoumaru looked at the food and pushed the plate away but held the cup of orange juice in his hand. "Now what were you telling my son earlier?"

Kagome put her fork down and tilted her head in question, eyes aimed at Seiichi. "What _were_ we talking about earlier?"

Seiichi was so confused. Here, Kagome had insulted his father and in the worst way-through Inuyasha and yet several seconds had passed and she was still breathing and unharmed. Hell must have frozen over. When he came out of his thoughts, two pairs of eyes were on him, waiting for his answer. Seiichi gulped. "You were just about to tell me how you attempted to shoot an arrow at my father."

"Ah yes." Kagome chuckled at the memory, "I think we were both lucky that day. I had only used my bow a handful of times before your father came after us and somehow scored a shot on his armor. He wasn't too happy when I broke it but even back then your father was a softy."

Sesshoumaru scoffed at the insinuation. "Human memories are far more inferior than that of a demon's. You shot at me a total of three times that night. I am lucky I did not lose an eye."

Kagome gave a nervous chuckle. "Let's face it," then looked at Seiichi, "I was lucky I didn't shoot _myself_ in the eye back then. The bow was definitely not my friend when I first crossed over."

To appease the woman at his side, Sesshoumaru picked at the eggs on his plate. Kagome figured that he probably wouldn't eat the oatmeal or the toast. It was disgusting-how did he manage to look so regal just eating eggs?

Sesshoumaru caught her staring and trapped her gaze in his. "Like what you see, Miko?" He slowly lifted a forkful of eggs to his mouth.

Kagome flushed a violent red but did her best to change the topic. "Seiichi, tell me about your mother. Does she live here too?" Sesshoumaru growled and Kagome nudged him with her shoulder. "Oh shush. So I take it you don't like her then?"

With her head resting atop her hands, Kagome waited for Seiichi's answer. The boy looked to his father and then back to the miko again. His father growled in warning, he never did like his mother much. But with Kagome here he was sure his father would not make a big deal out of it.

"I did not know her growing up. We had no contact after my birth."

That threw Kagome for a loop. What mother would not want to see her child? She turned to Sesshoumaru, assuming it was his fault. "Why not?"

Sesshoumaru took a slow sip of his drink as he tried to find a fitting answer. "When an inu youkai bitch is not mated and is pregnant, she will kill her litter." At Kagome's look of horror he continued, "it is survival of the fittest. Surely you have not forgotten what it was like."

"No but-" her chest hurt, thinking that Seiichi's mom tried to kill him as a newborn. "Why?"

"Simple nature. I required an heir and the arrangements were made. The bitch was compensated for her services."

The facts of Seiichi's parentage didn't sit well with Kagome but she did remember, after countless history lessons and seeing life back then first hand; she kept her comments to herself. "So you never had a mother growing up?"

Seiichi squirmed under her sad gaze and thought to pacify her. "Rin and Inuyasha were enough of a mother for me." Yes, Rin made an excellent care-giver; she would have made sure the pup did not want for love or attention. And Inuyasha? Kagome could only imagine what kind of trouble those two would have found themselves in.

It was an awkward ending of a rather awkward conversation. That was when Kagome noticed Sesshoumaru's briefcase. "Are you going to work? But it's Saturday!"

"I have a meeting at the hospital." And then after a small pause, Sesshoumaru turned a curious look on the woman beside him. "Would you care to join me?"

"It depends. Are you gonna be stuck with a bunch of old men or are you going to be with the children?"

"I will be with the children. I have had enough dealings with humans. Seiichi has long since been directing the company."

Kagome grinned, excited to see the children that waited in Sesshoumaru's special hospital. "Well in that case, I would love to join you. Thank you, Seiichi. Breakfast was wonderful!"

"You are welcome, Kagome. I apologize for my behavior towards you-"

Kagome waved him off. "Never mind about that." He saw the miko roll her eyes at his father. "Making attempts at my life is kind of a family tradition at this point. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for mistaking you for your father. I know what it's like to be mistaken for someone else."

Seiichi nodded his head. The looks his father gave Kagome startled him a bit. Those looks were natural between males and females but coming from his father? He remembered seeing that look on his father's face as he hunted down his uncle's killers. Pleasure never looked as frightfully terrible as when it appeared on his father's face.

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Once again Sesshoumaru found himself reveling in the miko's presence. She wasn't aware of it but he had been paying so much attention to the story she told him in the car that he almost veered onto the sidewalk a few times in the city. It was a good thing there were no police around because that would have been above humiliating. Currently the woman was telling him about one of her stranger cases, something about a hanyou but he wasn't listening. He was distracted by her lovely voice.

"Sesshoumaru, I don't know if you noticed but Seiichi was acting a little strange when you came to breakfast this morning. Is your son always that nervous around you?"

The demon lord quickly glanced at the woman beside him and saw the concern she held for his son. How Seiichi managed to find the woman he'd been searching for his whole life threw him quite the curve ball. But no one would know of the lord's jealousy except himself. Sesshoumaru smirked.

"He was not nervous because of my presence. He was nervous because he thought I would punish you."

"Punish me?" Kagome's head was cocked and she showed a mix of amusement and confusion. "For what?"

"I keep communication with others to a minimum and you are the only person that dares to speak to me in such a tone as you do."

The woman was obviously confused. "I speak to you in a tone?"

"My son is not used to hearing people tease me. The last person to successfully tease me and live was my brother."

Kagome was silent for a while. Sesshoumaru wasn't used to such long periods of silence when it came to this woman and it pushed him to ask her, "what are you thinking?" When he smelled the beginning of tears, something moved inside him, something old, something familiar. "Kagome?"

A small hand slid over his on the gearshift and Sesshoumaru looked down at it before forcing his eyes back to the road. He slid his thumb up to catch the tips of her fingers and rub them. The woman smiled.

"You can't even understand my relief, Sesshoumaru."

"You are happy my son is not being an arrogant fool any longer?"

Kagome shook her head. If it wasn't that, what could have her so happy she was crying? "I'm so happy that I'm not alone anymore." More tears streamed down her face. "I feel whole again, the two lives I once lived is one life. I found my family."

Sesshoumaru sighed when the miko leaned on his shoulder and slid her hand up his arm to grip it tighter. "As am I. We have waited so long for you. A decade ago I was beginning to lose hope that we had somehow missed you."

The admission caught Kagome breathless. They thought they'd lost her? It wouldn't have been hard, Tokyo was so big and there were so many places she could have been.

"How did you know when to start looking?"

"My son told me." Kagome stared up at him when he said that. "As I told you Inuyasha cared for my son as I took care of security in my lands. My brother told Seiichi the signs that told of your coming. I saw the book he had at the table this morning."

"Your son draws well," Kagome said, her hand absently stroked the lord demon's arm. "I can't believe he drew me that well, that was almost photographic."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "He did not draw that picture."

"Who did?"

The car stopped and Sesshoumaru turned off the engine. Kagome looked around at the darkness that surrounded them. "Where are we?"

"We are at my personal driveway in the hospital. Come. I have an appointment I must keep."

Kagome exited the car and jogged to catch up with Sesshoumaru. "But you never told me who drew that picture."

"I'll answer your questions later." Sesshoumaru held open the elevator door for Kagome and slid a card key through the inner reader. "Welcome Lord Sesshoumaru."

He pushed the button that would take them to the children's wing, ready for the sideways movement of the elevator and ready to catch Kagome when she realized they weren't moving up.

"Whoa," the miko fell forward, right into his waiting arms. "Sorry," she muttered as she straightened herself. Kagome moved to step out of his arms but Sesshoumaru's hands were locked around her. "Umm..."

Sesshoumaru towered over and did not look down when he told her, "you are the safest right where you are."

Kagome lifted a brow and looked up at him. "In your arms?" she said jokingly.

"Always," was his only reply. Kagome flushed, daydreaming about what Sesshoumaru meant by that statement. Since she wasn't allowed to move anywhere else in the large elevator, she relaxed against the steel warmth at her front and she noticed how Sesshoumaru's arms tightened around her. The elevator continued zipping around horizontally before finally stopping and taking them up.

When the doors finally opened, Sesshoumaru hesitated to release her from her delicious imprisonment. "Is this where we get off?"

The dog demon just huffed and let his arms slide down her back before letting go completely. He bent slightly to pick up his briefcase and then met Kagome outside the doors, placing his hand on the small of her back to lead her where they were to go.

It was to a room full of children that Sesshoumaru led her. These children looked healthy but she could read their weak auras and saw how some of them flickered at the imbalance the powerful lord caused just by being with them. None of them showed the pain on their face that they must have felt at his arrival. Instead the children circled him like hyenas and pounced on his legs and waist, encircling them in their tiny arms.

"We missed you, sir!" they squealed, not too high though, something they'd been warned against from the beginning.

"I missed you too. How have you all been faring?"

The oldest of the group stood tall to report how the children were doing. Two nurses stood off to the side and smiled at their boss who was serious at all times except when with the children in this wing of their special hospital.

"We been good but Mariko was sick this morning. She went upstairs to heaven for a little while and she's good now."

"Mariko." The timid little wisp of a girl came forward and stood with a large grin on her face. Sesshoumaru placed a hand on her shoulder and knelt down on one knee. "Are you feeling better now?"

The girl nodded as a bright smile lit her face.

"I know what would make you feel even better," Sesshoumaru said as he lifted his briefcase and handed it to the tiny child. Mariko dragged the expensive looking briefcase to the largest beanbag chair and squatted next to it. It was then that Kagome noticed the scratch marks that lined the face of the black monstrosity, no doubt from his many visits to see the children.

Like an expert, Mariko's fingers flipped the coded dials and popped the latches open to reveal children's books. She carefully looked over each one until she found the perfect one.

Mariko held the book high in her hands and waited for Sesshoumaru to take it and sit in the beanbag chair. She snuggled up in his lap and the other children gathered around, some in his lap, some at his sides, a couple leaning over his shoulders and the rest in front of him.

Words could not describe the emotional weight that bombarded Kagome as she sat against the wall, watching and listening to the most powerful being on the entire earth read children's stories while sitting on an over sized bean bag. The little patients who had lived in this hospital longer than not sat around him, the two smallest in his lap.

"I only have time for one story and after this one I must check on our other friends."

"Can we come this time, sir?" a girl asked.

"Not this time. I must visit the top floor and their energy is very unstable." All the children in the reading room knew what that meant. There were only a handful of people allowed in that room who weren't patients. They had to undergo months to years of training and were chosen only when they had enough control over their reiki or youki that it would not disturb the careful balance created by Tessaiga.

The little girl who had asked the question frowned. She lifted her big brown eyes to the white angel in whose lap she sat and asked, "are they ever gonna get better so they can play with us?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. Of all his centuries on earth, the children in this place created the most uncertain feelings regarding his and their future but he was addicted to them, to their mortality. The peace that existed in the twenty-first century drove him looking for balance and he found it in his granddaughter, the first of her kind who had perished under his watch.

"I am not sure, Keiko, but we can all hope and do our best in our training so we do not find ourselves in a similar situation."

"Yes sir." Keiko was born in this hospital and had rarely left. She had the most control over her battling powers and it was due to the bond her parents shared. Kenji and Emiko Mizuno were the foundation of the solution to this dire problem. Emiko was a fire cat demon, a rare and powerful breed and Kenji came from a strong line of houshi. They weren't able to have children for years and their bond was one that bordered on a taiyoukai-strength mating. They had grown up together and knew they were destined for each other since they were young, despite their parents' attempts to keep them apart. That bond was something the younger couples and parents of the other patients lacked in various degrees.

Sesshoumaru did not want to be in a darker mindset when he went to the top floor so he changed the subject back to books. "Now where were we? Oh yes," he said as he flipped open the cover of the requested story book. "A told B and B told C I'll meet you at the top of the pineapple tree..."

He was cut off by raucous laughter.

"Mr. Sesshou! It's not a pineapple tree."

"Yeah!" another child piped up. "It's a _coconut_ tree!" Light hearted laughter filled the room and filled the hearts of the two adults and the nurses that accompanied them.

"Are you sure? I'm positive it's a pineapple tree." There was a light in Sesshoumaru's eyes that Kagome recognized as his teasing and it made her breath catch. This man, no this demon was the same she'd known as a teenager but he was so much more than that now and she was afraid to admit what it was doing to her.

"No! Pineapples grow on the ground, silly!"

"Hmm..." Sesshoumaru twisted the book around, to look at the words from different angles. "You could be right, I don't have my glasses today. Have any of you seen my glasses?"

Some of the children frowned, they hadn't seen any glasses here. One child, a labeled mute, smiled up at him after tugging the collar of his shirt. When Sesshoumaru looked down at her she lifted two hands with fingers curled to form circles and carefully placed the imaginary glasses on his face.

"Ah, Mariko found my glasses." Sesshoumaru smiled as a memory of a Rin from long ago came to his mind. "I can see the coconut tree now; let's finish the story shall we?" The children settled in around him again with giggles escaping into the large room. "Whee said D to E, F, G. I'll beat you to the top of the coconut tree, Chicka chicka boom boom will there be enough room? Here comes H up the coconut tree..."

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S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K

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Sesshoumaru didn't know what he had done in a past life to deserve this but the smell of Kagome's arousal tickled his nose. He knew that he was pleasant by human standards, it was a part of the daiyoukai package. Power equaled beauty.

"Tell me something, Kagome."

"Hmm?" Kagome's eyes were glazed over, she'd been in deep thought about something that had kept her quiet during the short trip to the top level of the children's wing.

The elevator that took them up two floors did not move side to side as well but Kagome stood close to Sesshoumaru anyway. The book reading downstairs wouldn't allow her anything else. He was saying something to her but she couldn't understand. The images of him nestled under a pile of children while reading stories fired her motherly instincts and built an attraction for the demon lord stronger than anything she'd felt in her life. It was hard for her to remain still as they waited for the elevator to ding.

Ding it did and Sesshoumaru led Kagome out in the way he always did except this time he used his hand to pull her closer towards him. The scent of her arousal called to a more primal place in him and he was afraid that if she were to disappear from his sight for even a moment, things might turn out ugly on the floor.

The nurses had nothing new to report. The children showed no signs of recession in their health, all looked good. Sesshoumaru's Head Researcher for this issue was on the floor tonight and Sesshoumaru asked her for an update.

"We have looked into the matter you alerted us to and found an aura therapist. She actually works here at Tokyo Memorial, she's the best in her field."

_Tokyo Memorial, the best in her field?_ That sounded an awful lot like-

"Her name is Muri Mai. She comes from a strong line of priestesses and is the head of the LAP or Life Assistant Program at Tokyo Memorial. Her twin sister Mari Mai is the director of Tokyo Memorial."

Sesshoumaru looked over to his guest and wasn't surprised that she knew who they were talking about. "You know who these sisters are?"

"I do." Kagome blinked the memories into focus. "Mari Mai is the sister who gave me the job and the shrine that I...studied at, Muri Mai was famous there for her forward thinking. She worked together with her sister to create LAP. I was a second generation student at the shrine."

The Head Researcher looked Kagome over once to size her up and then turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru.

"Both sisters are incredibly busy sir-"

"Did you tell them I would double their current salary-"

"I took the liberty sir, but they both refused the position. Actually," the researcher looked down to her planner, "Muri Mai referred another woman a-" she flipped a page and scanned down towards the bottom, "Kagome Higurashi. Ms. Mai informed me that this Kagome was the top student at the shrine. She studied for one year and at the end trials was at a teacher status. Muri and Mari alerted me that she is the most powerful they have come across in all their years of study. Confidentially sir, it was said that Higurashi was so advanced and so powerful that they had to give her a powerful charm to keep her reiki at bay in fear that she might accidentally demolish the current demonic population here in Japan."

"Hm," Sesshoumaru looked thoughtful but what Kagome knew was he was aiming to tease his researcher, probably to further strengthen his facade of ultimate awesomeness. "Do you have any other information on the woman, what was her name again-"

"Kagome Higurashi," the woman finished.

"Ah yes, Higurashi.

"She currently works in the ancient history department at the museum, just opened a new showcase of the Sengoku Jidai weaponry and holy artifacts and is a part time/on call Life Assistant at Tokyo Memorial. She has no pets, a mother and a brother whom she has very limited contact with. Father died when she was very young. Her junior high report shows she was absent a lot due to many strange illnesses but when she reached high school all signs of illness faded and she was an honor student. There was a time of questionable mental status-"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and looked down at his companion.

"before she studied at the shrine under Muri Mai's top pupil. Kagome has advanced weaponry skills, the bow being her main focus. She has mediocre skills with a sword, excelled in shielding, purification, energy sensitivity, herbology & natural medicine."

"How come this woman is not a permanent fixture in my hospital?"

The woman had the familiar lack of emotion on her face. "I'm not sure sir, I am not in the HR department."

"Hm," Sesshoumaru pretended to deliberate on the topic. "Can we buy her off?"

Kagome bristled but Sesshoumaru squeezed her hip telling her to keep quiet. "I'm not sure, sir. She does make a very comfortable salary at the museum."

Kagome cleared her throat. "I didn't hear you mention anything about aura therapy in her description. It doesn't sound like she's familiar with the technique."

The woman gave Kagome a cool look. "Muri Mai informed me she would be willing to train Kagome in the art of Aura Therapy. As much as Muri loves the challenge, she fears in the most humble way that she is not as...accepting of demons as Kagome was. Kagome had claimed to live with demons and half demons for much of her life and had very close pack bonds with those she was with. Kagome was referred because she is very open-minded and unbiased when it come to the difference in race and species."

"Email me a fact sheet on this woman. I will speak with her and see if I can't," Sesshoumaru squeezed her hip again, "convince her to our cause."

"Yes sir."

The woman turned and left, leaving a smirking boss and a confused woman.

"Convince me to your cause?"

"Can I?" Sesshoumaru focused his heated gaze on the woman at his side. "Is there anything I can do to convince-" Sesshoumaru slid his hand up her waist and leaned closer to her ears "you to my cause?"

Kagome shivered at the sensation of his breath on her neck. So close, so damn close. "Sesshoumaru," she said rolling out of his arms with a grin on her face. "You may be a lot of things," she said pointing at the demon who advanced on her, "but _suave_ is not one of them."

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S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K S K

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**Author's Note:**

Sorry it took me a year to update as was pointed out by **moonlightshadow123** a year ago :D I would like to end by answering a few questions.

This is listed as a Kagome & Sesshoumaru fic so sorry Seiichi lovers. No one can replace the original. In the last chapter, Kagome did have copies for herself but they're not as well organized. The pictures represented an old life and she wanted a new start with new meanings. She will make others.

**Kuronueslover** – you had it right, Rin working on him for 500 years would definitely soften that rock up.

For **photo-ninja, oldestmaiden, moonlightshadow123, **I hope this chapter answered your questions about Seiichi's mother. It was definitely not Kagome and she will appear from time to time. Maybe not the literal character so much as questions & answers regarding her.

**Moonlightshadow123** – because I am the author, I could not stand the thought of Sesshoumaru having many girlfriends over the centuries. Not all people know that demons exist. Sesshoumaru and Seiichi have been running most of the businesses with the help of Shippo, Rin and their children. It will all come into play later but Shippo is a Grand Master Fox/Kitsune magic, which helps with his demonic concealment business. All this will be folded into the story over time though.

I hope that the next chapter will not take so long to come out but thanks for trudging along with me.

A special thanks to all those who reviewed chapter 8. It's because of you that this chapter came out as quickly as it did:** angel19872006, duo_s_luvergurl, OoOLady_IndigoOoO, Midnight weasel, Sakura-Biyori,katdemon18, photo-ninja, Sugar0o, shadow_zombie, oldestmaiden, moonlightshadow123, Kuronueslover, Silly_Smiles, .Color, Foxluna, Tearainy, JC1988, kagome_past_and_present, tili19, COAIM, TheSlashBunny, llebreknit, IceLiith, Jazz, tsukiko94, disneyrulz23, Amputation, Cosmic-lover, sweetest_angel, annabella, femininemarauder, **and **kouga's_older_woman.**

**EchoHunter  
**


	10. Pure Heart

CHAPTER 10: Pure Heart

Kagome found herself sitting in an office at the top level of Tokyo Memorial Hospital, waiting for her old mentor to join her. A small woman with long pepper colored hair tied high in a ponytail walked in with her nose buried in a file.

"Kagome, what a pleasant surprise! I guess you found out about my referral?"

The young miko nodded, not surprised that the woman had yet to look at her. "I did." There was a question burning in Kagome's mind and she would speak it. "Why did you turn it down?"

Muri sighed and closed the file before tossing it on her desk. The gray-haired woman sat in her recliner and leaned back against the soft leather. "I've never performed aura therapy on demons before." It was Muri's turn to wiggle in her seat. "And for the kind of aura therapy that is required for this job, Sesshoumaru needs someone who can perform to the best of their abilities. I am not that person."

"But you are so qualified-"

"I may have the qualifications," Muri Mai paused to emphasize, "but not the ability." It was obvious that Kagome did not understand what Muri was trying to tell her. "Kagome, when I was young, my parents were killed by a half-demon that had gone mad. I watched them die. I understand in my mind," Muri touched her temple, "that not all demons are bad, just as not all humans are good. But here," she touched her heart, "I am still afraid and still hateful. That is not the heart that is needed to heal these children. They need a pure heart."

Kagome frowned. "My heart is not pure, sensei. It has not been for a long time."

Muri shook her head. "No, Kagome. Your heart has lost a part of its innocence and happiness but it is pure of hatred and prejudice. For this particular genre of aura therapy, one I have never successfully performed in my life, one needs to be free of hatred because it is the total acceptance of the life energy that heals. I do not have that ability."

"Oh."

Muri smiled as the memories of this particular student resurfaced. "You were always an anomaly to me, Kagome. You were my Rubik's cube. I have always been curious about you and your story."

"Me? What is there to be curious about?"

"You come from a family rooted in Shinto belief and practice but your powers are almost too powerful for them to have come about naturally-without formal training. Every now and again there are people similar to you but my friend, you have surpassed even my knowledge and experience.

"The very fact that you have had no training and yet you can perform as well as you did when you first came to us was both frightening and exciting. The only people we've seen with a natural gift as strong as yours were those who were raised in the countryside where more demons run free, yet you were born and raised here in the city. I am almost afraid to know what you could have possibly faced to have caused your powers to be so strong."

Kagome smiled a sad smile. "If you wish to know, I can tell you."

There was that look in Kagome's eyes that told her she had seen too much for one so young. "Please forgive me for not asking. I am not sure I can bear that burden of knowledge."

Black hair waved with the shake of a head. "I understand. It is a far-fetched story."

Muri nodded. "So are you going to accept the job?"

"I don't know," Kagome answered honestly. "I already have a great job that I love-"

"But? I feel a 'but' coming."

A grin spread across Kagome's face. "But-" she paused.

"You have that near hunger that demands you help someone, that itch in you that says to take the challenge and help those less fortunate than yourself?"

"Yes."

"That is your heart, Kagome, telling you that your desires are pure still. I believed it when Sesshoumaru called and I believe it even more now that you are sitting in my office that you are the right person for this job."

Kagome had nothing to say to that so she just sat and took in the silence of the room.

"Because I have not successfully healed a half-demon child before, I can only instruct you to a certain point before you will have to experiment and learn on your own. That will be the most difficult part."

"Most difficult, okay. I think I can handle that." The challenge of the unknown brought an excitement to Kagome that she hadn't felt in a while and she smiled at Muri.

The older woman had a twinkle in her eye when she smiled at Kagome. "You've already decided, haven't you? You just came to hear me vocalize what you already knew before you left home this morning."

Kagome laughed in a way that let Muri know she was right. "I guess I did."

"Guess my foot," Muri said with a laugh. "Sesshoumaru didn't actually call me. Some woman on his research team called me, a rather cold person and it made me wonder what kind of an establishment Sesshoumaru ran. Children don't need to be around that kind of temperament, human, hanyou, or full demon."

"Yeah, she was pretty snobby when she showed up," Kagome recalled. "It was kind of fun to hear her tell Sesshoumaru all the details she'd dug up on me though. She even found out about this-" Kagome lifted both hands and wiggled her middle fingers, the silver and rose-gold rings sparkled in the sunlight that streamed through the window.

"Many of our brothers and sisters knew of the cap we had to put on your powers. You weren't aware of it but not many of our priests and priestesses could be around you for long periods of time without feeling adverse affects."

A wave of guilt swept over Kagome. "You never told me about that."

"It wasn't imperative to your training. You would have only held back if you had known."

Kagome had never spoken to Muri Mai as she was now. Back then, Kagome struggled to contain more than just her powers. Her emotions were unstable, which only fed the instability of her awesome natural strength. Muri had the foresight to keep her at an emotional arm's length during her training period. Kagome honestly felt that she had grown so much at that shrine-it had been a kind of easement back into her present time, a balance in her life that she had desperately needed to heal and move on.

"And how are you these days, Kagome?"

Kagome smiled in a way that Muri had never seen-peaceful. "I found my family." The ease at which she made that statement told Muri that she had found the piece of her life that had been missing.

"I am glad to hear that," Muri said, and honestly she was. "I was afraid for you, Kagome, that you wouldn't find a way to get through your pain, but I'm guessing that working at the Museum has helped?"

The younger woman nodded. "It helped to give me closure." Kagome fidgeted in her seat, she had to ask – "May I tell you a little without giving away too much?"

The corner of Muri's lips lifted. "If you wish."

An air of confidence and older spirit filled the room when Kagome locked eyes with Muri. "I used to travel through time via a portal near my home. My companions in the past became a second family and that was when I first met Sesshoumaru. We weren't on friendly terms then, merely a weak alliance to defeat a common enemy. After a few years of going back and forth between my present and the past, our mission was completed and I was completely locked on this side of time."

Muri had never heard this story before and more of Kagome's outbursts at the shrine and her odd behaviors and knowledge began to make sense.

"That's why my mom had put me on suicide watch, that's why I ran to you. All I had left were these damn powers-" Kagome paused and closed her eyes in an effort to hold back angry tears. The fine hairs on Muri's body stood on end. Even with the silver and golden seals-the rings Kagome wore on her middle fingers-could not completely keep her powers at bay. Blue eyes opened again. "These powers and my memories were the only things I had as a constant reminder of what I'd been through. I may have gone a little nuts when I couldn't travel anymore, I kept jumping down the well shaft that took me to a distant time-" Her eyes glazed over before Kagome shook her head of the painful memories.

"Sorry, I'm getting side tracked. That second of family of mine included a fox kit, he became a son to me-" Kagome's eyes began to water. "I found them," she said in a whisper. "Sesshoumaru had kept him safe after all this time, the very Sesshoumaru that asked for your assistance, the very one whose daughter mated my Shippo."

There was more weight to this story than Muri was comfortable knowing but she just nodded in support. "I'm glad, Kagome. I am very happy that you've found your family again."

"It's not just that, Muri. I've found the other half of my entire being. I was only half a person this whole time because all I had was a future with no past and now I've found it, I've found it in Sesshoumaru."

"Beware Kagome," Muri said in a serious tone. "Do not confuse the memories of the past with the present people."

Kagome half chuckled. "Oh you don't have to tell me twice. I've had more than enough of that kind of shit when I was in the past but I won't bother telling you that drab story. Anyways, I guess I just wanted to let you know that I'm complete. Not totally sane just yet," Kagome winked, "but I've found myself and am finally happy again."

Muri Mai smiled knowingly and folded her hands on the desk before her. "So I guess that means you'll be working with Sesshoumaru on a solution to the epidemic his patients suffer from?"

"I will be. I have an inkling of what needs to happen but I am ready to learn what you can teach me about aura therapy. When's a good day to begin?"

"Well, there aren't too many accident prone people in the mornings if you would like to come to my office three times a week. We can begin our training in the meditation room upstairs."

"Ooh," Kagome made a face. "Mornings aren't such a great time-"

"Still?" Muri's brow lifted. "I see you haven't gotten over your aversion to early mornings."

"Not really."

"Well, that's unfortunate. When the sun first rises is the best time to meditate. The warmth of the sun warms the earth from sleep and the air is at its freshest. You should make sure to retire early."

Kagome just groaned. She wouldn't fight it because she knew that Muri was right. "Sunrise?"

"An hour before sunrise," Muri said with a Cheshire grin. "You need to be there and in deep meditation during the transition of dark to light."

"Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that I'm going to undergo a severe life change?"

The Cheshire grin grew in size. "You have no idea." Muri stood and motioned for Kagome to follow her. "Sesshoumaru is aware of the changes that need to occur before this will become successful."

Kagome stopped when she reached the office door. "Wait a minute, I thought you said you didn't talk to Sesshoumaru."

Muri shook her head. "I said I did not speak to Sesshoumaru on the phone. He visited me the night he found out that I had referred you as my replacement."

"He did?" That had Kagome's interested piqued. After the hospital, she and Sesshoumaru returned to his home and she spent the rest of the day with Shippo and his daughters, never once wondering where the head of the house had gone.

"He did." Muri turned the handle of a door they stood before and it opened into a conference room with a large round table where one of the seats was occupied by none other than Sesshoumaru himself.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Kagome." The way her name rolled off his tongue had Kagome shiver with something unknown, something that did not pass by unnoticed by Muri.

"What are you doing here?" the breathless miko asked.

Muri walked past the frozen Kagome and dropped a stack of papers on the table in front of Sesshoumaru. "Still the instigator, I see?"

Kagome's eyes shifted from Sesshoumaru to Muri and back to Sesshoumaru again. "What's she talking about? Instigator?"

Golden eyes uncharacteristically rolled at the head of LAP. "I own this hospital."

Kagome's brows furrowed. "I think I'll do myself a favor and just live under the assumption that you own Japan." When Sesshoumaru said nothing, Kagome sunk into a chair. "I'm not far off the mark, am I?"

Sesshoumaru did not say a word but a slight upturn of his lips told Kagome all she needed to know.

Muri huffed at Sesshoumaru's false modesty.

"Jeez, you're one for secrets."

"Thanks to you, Inuyasha and Seiichi's drawings, I was able to make some very wise investments over the centuries."

Kagome was amazed. She knew the Sesshoumaru of the past was a very logical and strategic being so it surprised her but not too much that he was just as strategic with business and finance as he was in battle. "I guess that means you're filthy rich."

A smirk appeared on the otherwise stoic demon's face. "Same goes for you, Kagome."

"Me?" Kagome had the gall to laugh. "I can assure you, Sesshoumaru Sekiguchi, that I am _not_ in fact filthy rich."

"And I can assure you, Kagome Higurashi," there was that burning feeling in her gut again, "that though you may not be as," Sesshoumaru rolled the phrase around in his mouth, "_filthy_ rich as I, you are still wealthy and set for life. If you choose, you do not need to work ever again."

The cogs in Kagome's mind cranked and squealed as they tried to piece together the impossible puzzle that was this demon. "What did you do, Sesshoumaru?" she scolded him as though he were a small child breaking into the cookie jar.

"When I purchased stocks in the up and coming technology, the technology that Seiichi had drawn according to Inuyasha's stories of your time, I purchased stocks not only for myself but for my entire family, including you."

Kagome was speechless. Sesshoumaru wasn't one for mincing words so when he said she was wealthy, Kagome could only imagine how many millions that translated into. It was then that Muri made herself known again by clearing her throat.

"I'm glad you two are so familiar with each other. This will definitely make things run smoother."

"Smoother? Muri, what does Sesshoumaru have to do with this?"

Muri threw a look at Sesshoumaru before turning back to Kagome. "Child, the only reason I was able to heal the auras of human children is because I myself am human."

"I thought you couldn't heal hanyous because you weren't of-" Kagome did not want to offend by finishing that statement.

Muri caught on to what her old student was about to say, that she wasn't of pure heart. "That is the reason I do not think I have the ability to try. It is a simple matter of not being able to heal what we are not. Our spirits may empathize with other spirits but it is the fact of _what_ we are that blazes the path for those of our like to follow in."

Kagome fell into deep thought. "So what you're saying is that to heal a hanyou or demon-"

"Someone with a hanyou or full-demon _aura_, there is a difference."

"I'm going to need to have that aura as well to empathize and show the way."

"Yes, that is what I am saying."

Kagome was silent while the connections were made in her mind. When they were made, she looked to Sesshoumaru but did not talk to him. "Why Sesshoumaru?" She peeled her eyes away from his amber ones and back to Muri's black pupils.

"Sesshoumaru is the only demon powerful enough to withstand the fury of your full strength. His soul and fortitude can and will support yours when the time comes."

She glanced at him again. "There are others though, older demons that are still alive-"

"The older they are, the more powerful, you are correct. But Sesshoumaru already holds such strong ties with your spirit because of your shared past. His natural abilities against poison and purification make him the perfect candidate to be your partner in this quest."

"Partner?" Kagome looked between her old teacher and the silent demon in the room. "I think I'm missing something."

"Kagome," Kagome turned to face Sesshoumaru, while trying to put everything together. "What Muri is trying to say is we need to combine our auras. Not just combine but fuse together so to speak."

"An aura meld," Kagome whispered. "That means-"

"And that," Muri slumped into a chair, "that is why I am not a good candidate. "

"Wait a minute-" There were too many thoughts zipping through her head, like chickens that had just seen a hungry fox. "Sesshoumaru, doesn't an aura meld equate a familial bond in pack terms?"

"More or less."

"And you're okay with this?"

Without removing his gaze from Kagome's blue eyes, Sesshoumaru answered, "I have never been more sure of anything in my life."

Her breath was stolen right from her chest. The way his eyes burned into hers, the hidden promise of things to come was so alluring and for a moment Kagome allowed herself to imagine the possibilities.

Muri hated being forgotten, which was exactly what was happening. She cleared her throat and Kagome broke the eye contact first, still feeling the burn of amber eyes in her.

"Sesshoumaru is already aware of the terms of this experiment and has agreed fully. Do you agree to carry out with this experiment, Kagome?"

She was looking at Muri but didn't quite catch everything. "Wait, no one has told _me_ the terms of this experiment. What exactly are we going to have to do?"

"You will be required to spend ungodly amounts of time together in order to fully bond your soul. Of course there _is_ a way you could speed things up but I highly doubt that is an appropriate topic of discussion at this time. How you do it doesn't matter to me, as long as the deed is done."

Kagome couldn't help but read into that comment and all of a sudden a blush spread over her cheeks. She knew what Muri meant and wanted to glance at Sesshoumaru to see what his reaction was. If only Kagome had used her powers to feel him out, she would have noticed the influx of youki at the director's statement and how pleased he was to have heard her say that. But she didn't.

"Earlier when I asked if I had to undergo a complete life change, is this what I felt was coming?"

"Kagome, for you I would suggest moving into Sesshoumaru's house. A room closest to his would suffice but it would be even better if you could share a bed-"

At that, Kagome spoke up. "How are you even saying this with a straight face? I'm only thinking about it and I'm blush-never mind."

"Sleeping in the same room and same bed as someone tends to drop barriers real fast because to sleep is to make yourself vulnerable. Besides with him," Muri thumbed to Sesshoumaru, "you shouldn't have any problems. Dogs in general are a social animal and are very affectionate no matter that you got the most backward of them all on your side. I'm sure he'll make a great pillow if nothing else."

Great. Just great. Kagome knew she was red from head to toe now.

"Are there any other suggestions you have?" Sesshoumaru asked, still looking unaffected by all Muri said.

"Besides moving in? I can only suggest that you do your best to spend every waking moment together." Muri pushed her chair back from the table and instructed Kagome to sit next to Sesshoumaru. Ms. Mai closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before continuing. "From what I can see your souls have already bonded quite well. You must spend a considerable amount of time together, although this bond you have is old and stable."

Muri opened her eyes again. "Those are my two suggestions. Sleep as close as possible to each other and spend every waking moment together. In one week I want you to come back and see me and we'll go from there."

As Kagome and Sesshoumaru walked out of the conference room and back down to the garage parking, Kagome couldn't help but feel as though she were being set up. Sesshoumaru still hadn't said anything but he didn't feel agitated by what they'd heard upstairs.

"It seems like you're okay with all of this. Did you know that she wanted me to move in?"

Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly when the interrogation began. He knew Kagome didn't like being told what to do, what woman did these days? What men for that matter? But after all the years of studying possible solutions, this seemed to be the most effective, the safest for all involved, and on top of that he could use the bond they needed to create to sway her to his side for eternity.

For centuries after she had disappeared, Kagome remained in the forefront of his mind. He hadn't made too strong of a connection with her during the days of the Sengoku Jidai but after that battle with Naraku, after his son was born and Inuyasha was a more stable figure in his life was when the attraction grew.

Most of the information supplied him was through stories that Inuyasha told Seiichi when the boy was but a pup. Stories of a beautiful warrior priestess who had hidden powers and a large heart filled the lonely nights. Seiichi's room was right next to his own, making listening to Inuyasha's stories much easier.

From what Sesshoumaru knew, Inuyasha was the brave warrior that protected the miko-or at least he was in the story but it always ended with the warrior priestess having to leave the world behind and travel through the mysterious gates of time, taking the priestess home again where the past would stay in the past for her.

"Muri Mai and I have had many discussions on the best path to take to heal the children. Originally we planned to work with the parents of the children but we ran into many problems. Half of the children that passed away before help was possible were born out of wedlock and to parents who did not appreciate their special ones. Not all hanyou children come out looking as normal as my brother did. Do you recall Jinenji, the medicine hanyou?"

Kagome nodded. "We met on a few occasions."

"His father was well known for his appealing face, yet Jinenji took after his mother in looks-"

It took Kagome a few seconds before she choked on a laugh. Sesshoumaru was teasing the poor woman! "Hey now, she loved her son. I can't believe you're teasing her about her looks!"

Sesshoumaru couldn't hide his smile fast enough from her and she swatted his arm. "What I mean to say is that some of the hanyou we've come across are deplorable by the world's standards yet they are some of the most pure-hearted and talented creatures to grace the planet, yet that never occurs to the parents when they drop them off.

"We wished to create a stronger bond between parents so their child could see how well their energy works together and to learn how to have their conflicting auras at peace with each other."

Sesshoumaru opened the car door and waited for Kagome to slide into the passenger seat before closing the door and entering from the other side.

"I guess something wasn't working as it was supposed to?" Kagome didn't miss the sigh Sesshoumaru released upon hearing her question.

"Not quite. Some of the children on the lower levels of the special wing are the successful ones. They had parents who cared enough to go through our therapy training and succeeded in creating a sufficient bond. Yet, after successful aura melds, the children still cannot be far from Tessaiga. Though we have made significant progress in healing them thus far, I do not understand why they cannot be completely whole."

Kagome felt his defeat, she saw how his body sagged in reflection of all the time spent towards this one great goal. Her hand slid atop his that rest on the gear-shift. She gave it a gentle squeeze but didn't move her hand from its spot. "Don't worry, Sesshoumaru. We'll figure something out."

Sesshoumaru stiffened at the initial contact. Kagome noticed and pulled her hand away but her fingers were caught by his and her hand was pulled back to the gear shift. Sesshoumaru lay his hand atop hers and rubbed his thumb across the soft flesh of her hand. Another sigh escaped him but this time it was one of comfort.

The silence in the car was almost too much for Kagome to bear. She knew the basics of what was to happen but what she needed right now was to know where their boundaries were.

"Sesshoumaru, just exactly how much time will we be spending together?"

A smirk came over that beautiful face of the demon next to her. "Every sleeping and waking moment."

"As in I have to go to work with you?"

"Every moment."

"I'm gonna be able to pee alone, right?" Her nervousness grew when he said nothing. "Right?"

"I will turn my back when the time comes but we must remain together-"

"Oh hell no!" Kagome pulled her hand out to stab him in the arm with her bony fingers. "I don't care what Muri said, I refuse to do anything in the bathroom with you in there!"

The small sports car filled with that sound that warmed her from head to toe. He was laughing at her. "I am merely poking fun at you. I will _allow_," he threw in there just to irk her, "you to use the restroom and its facilities on your own. But outside of the washroom, you are mine, Kagome." That last part was said in a low seductive voice, which Kagome chose not to read too far into. Too many times she'd read into messages with Inuyasha and she would not make that mistake again.

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms. "Allow me, huh? It's gonna be like that between us, is it?"

Sesshoumaru shot a worried glance her way only to see a hint of a smile playing at her lips. She wanted to play did she? "I foresee no problems so long as you know where your place is." Oh yeah, that prodded her temper, the one he'd seen on occasion when Inuyasha was being too stubborn for his own good.

"And where is that, pray tell?" The smile was gone and her eyes were narrowed at him.

"Where you are at this very moment, at my side," he said for good measure, "although I did prefer it when you were holding my hand." A shy smile crawled across the miko's face as she slid her hand under his again. "Muri Mai was correct in stating that dog demons are very affectionate." Sesshoumaru could not thank the old woman enough for stating that, now he had an excuse to touch her and keep in contact with her as much as possible.

"We are the most affectionate in demon society, an instinct which I will share with you. Just as a warning, I am not openly affectionate in public and I do not care for too much from myself or anyone else when around others. But at home and when we are together, you may expect," they were at a stoplight and Sesshoumaru turned towards her. Two warm fingers brushed her cheek and a shiver raced through Kagome's body, "to have my full affection."

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru with a hot fire in her eyes. "Should I be afraid?" she managed to squeak out.

"You have never been afraid of me before."

With his thumb sliding across her cheek, Kagome lost all capability of thought. "I…uh-"

"I will give you no reason to start now."

Kagome's skin sizzled in wake of his hands. Sesshoumaru's eyes were back on the road as he drove them to her apartment so she could pick up what she would need for the next week. If he could make her feel like this with just a simple touch on her cheek, she didn't know how she would be able to handle his "full affection." What did that even mean? Kagome's stomach resembled caffeinated butterflies as she anticipated what was to come.

Hi everyone! I hope you have a great 2011. This chapter isn't too much as far as excitement goes, though I found it exciting enough hahaha. It will start picking up in the next chapter. Thanks for following this whole time and I can't wait to see you guys next year!

Echo


	11. The Bond

CHAPTER 11: The Bond

They had stopped at Kagome's apartment so she could pack. No, Sesshoumaru was not allowed to _help_ her pack but he was allowed to carry her duffle bags out the door with his awesome demonic strength, which Kagome took full advantage of.

The rest of her things would come later. Sesshoumaru informed Kagome that once she came into his house, she would never leave. He insisted on having his pack close and if she was to work with him at the hospital it would save them both time and energy for her to live with him.

That was the end of that. A few of his staff would go to her apartment to pack the remainder of her belongings and move them into her room in the mansion. It would save her travel time, rent-she'd cross that bridge when she reached it no matter that Sesshoumaru told her she was not expected to pay anything.

As Kagome looked around her apartment one last time, she couldn't help but feel like she was jumping down the well again, not sure what would happen to her on this trip through time. This time was different though, she wasn't risking her life and there was no enemy to defeat.

Most of her day had gone off without a hitch. Kagome had sent in her letter of resignation to the Board of Directors of the museum and informed Tokyo Memorial that she needed to be removed from the list of Life Assistants. Lunch was spent with Rin and her granddaughters in the gardens but as the day wore on, she became more nervous as she recalled Muri's words.

After dinner and tying up a few more loose ends, Kagome found a nice comfortable couch to curl up on in the library. It was her first reprieve from company and she finally felt herself relaxing. Or would have if her mind would ever shut up.

'_A room closest to his would suffice but it would be even better if you could share a bed…_'

"Are you alright?"

Kagome shrieked and slapped her hand over her mouth. She turned a glare on the stoic figure behind her. "Make some noise, jeez. Give a person a heart-attack…"

"You should be more aware of your surroundings, miko." He used that same dry voice that he used in the past but tone was slightly altered, probably because of the smirk in it. "You were daydreaming." Sesshoumaru sounded amused. He made his way towards the couch and sat near her feet.

"I wasn't – I was…ugh." Images of sleeping next to that perfect demonic form is what she'd been daydreaming about.

"Your energy has been fluctuating all day. Are you nervous?"

"Well," the miko fidgeted as she tried to put together some words that sounded the least idiotic, "to be honest I _am_ a little nervous about our sleeping arrangements."

Without shifting his gaze, Sesshoumaru replied, "if it would make you more comfortable, we could arrange for something else-"

"No," Kagome said almost too quickly. "No, if this is what's best, I'll get over it."

"Very well then. Let us get you accommodated to your new sleeping quarters."

Kagome's stomach flew into her throat. She looked up to Sesshoumaru who held a hand out to her and a patient gaze. Her shaky hand fit in his perfectly and he pulled her off the couch and onto her feet. The room spun a little and Kagome lost her balance but Sesshoumaru was more than ready for her clumsy ways and caught her against his chest. For a brief moment Kagome felt peace and warmth until she realized whose chest she leaned against.

"I'm sorry." Kagome pushed away or tried to but two strong hands held her where she was.

"Your heart is racing."

"I'm nervous," she murmured into his chest.

A finger hooked under her chin and lifted her gaze to his. "What are you so nervous about, little priestess?"

There was a fire in those amber eyes, a warmth that Kagome recognized deep in her soul but could not give a name to. It burned through her as his youki soothed her reiki and made her feel…whole.

"I…um…" Kagome couldn't breathe. Everything was silent between their eyes and all she could hear was her heart beating, thumping away into distraction.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

"What was the question?"

His lips softened to hint of a smirk and Kagome knew she should be mad but she didn't know why. That finger that was under her chin moved until it curled against her cheek bone and smoothed over it.

"Shall we?"

She couldn't even look in his eyes anymore - her sights were still on those lips. Her heart was beating so loud, Kagome was rather surprised she even heard his question.

She swallowed hard. "Yes?"

Sesshoumaru was pleased to know that he could distract her into a stupor. It made that horrid stench of anxiety and fear leave her aura and made his male ego swell with the knowledge that he could affect his mate in such a way.

Correction. _Future_ mate.

His aura pulsed in beat with his heart and he shared that beat with her, easing her into his youki. He already knew they were compatible. It was a small matter of getting her reiki to accept his and weave them together like a fine masterful tapestry.

But first she must be comfortable enough to let his aura mix with hers. Currently their auras played with each other, flirted and teased but they had yet to blend. And with what they were trying to accomplish, they would need to do more than just blend on the surface.

He had Kagome so muddled that she didn't even know she was in the room until the door clicked shut. He watched as her eyes cleared and she realized where she was.

"How did we get in here?"

Sesshoumaru turned her with a gentle hand until she faced the closet. "Your bags are in there," he said pointing to the door in the wall. "You will have the right side of the closet for your belongings-"

"I have a lot of stuff, Sesshoumaru."

"There is ample room." He led her to another door and opened it. "This is the bathroom. Make yourself at home."

His pride swelled when she gasped at one of his favorite rooms in the whole house. The bathroom consisted of a simple toilet and sink but the whole room was stone except the roof, which was wooden slats covering the vents in the ceiling. The shower was against the wall opposite the door. It was built into the wall, no door or curtain. But why would he need one? To the right, built into the floor, was an onsen and Kagome's eyes were glued to it.

"See something you like?"

Kagome licked her lips and nodded. "Did you have that built too?"

Sesshoumaru smiled and gently guided her into the bathroom. "I had my bathroom built around it." The onsen was more than twenty feet in width. "In fact, you may have used this particular onsen in your travels with my brother. I recall scenting you around this area on my patrols. Several times."

Kagome turned her head to look at him with a question evident in her eyes. "Did you follow us?"

Not wanting to answer the question just yet, Sesshoumaru changed the direction of the conversation. "I used to think you were a most peculiar human during our early acquaintance. Your mannerisms were so strange yet familiar and you were always cleaner than every other human I came across. I could never understand your obsession with bathing, though I did appreciate it when we crossed paths."

A light went on in Kagome. "You were following us." She turned and walked towards him, getting him to back out of the bathroom.

"I could understand your speech, though many of your phrases did not make sense to me. But what I could never understand Kagome-"

"You sly old dog-"

"-is why you were never afraid of me." He stopped one foot out of the bathroom, Kagome right in front of him.

"Afraid of you?" Her head cocked to the side. "Is that why you kept following us?"

Her curiosity piqued his playfulness. Suddenly he was the one forcing her to take steps backwards. "Why were you never afraid of me, Kagome?"

"Why would I have been, Sesshoumaru?"

"You had a lot of reason to be. I tried to kill you the first time we met."

Kagome took a couple of steps backwards to avoid being stepped on. "You did, and by the way, you never apologized for that."

"And I tried to kill you again and again."

"You're not helping your case."

"I tried to steal Tessaiga-" he took a step closer to her, to try and scent her being intimidated but she wasn't.

"Wait," it finally dawned on her, "you really _were_ following us."

"I threatened you more than any other creature alive."

"Sesshoumaru, it sounds like you have _a lot_ to make up for."

"And yet," the back of Kagome's legs hit something and she fell backwards onto something soft with a yelp. She turned her head left and right and only saw white, "and yet through all of that, all of those times I threatened your life and well-being you never feared me." Her eyes went wide as he leaned over her, his hands on either side of her head. "Yet now," his mouth was close to her ear. He inhaled her scent quietly so as not to disturb her, "in my house you smell of fear stronger than any other memory I have of you. Why is that?"

"I don't know." It was a whisper. It was all she could manage with him so close.

"Have I hurt you in any way?"

"No."

"Have you felt threatened by myself or anyone in my household?"

She paused longer than was comfortable but still answered in the negative.

It was clear that this whole day was taking a toll on her. He wouldn't get any straight answer from her right now so he eased up. Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to lean a little closer and steal a kiss. Instead, he straightened up and held a hand out to Kagome who was in the process of shaking herself out of a stupor.

"Where are we going now?"

Sesshoumaru stopped himself from staring too long at the perfect picture that was Kagome on his bed, her hair fanned out in every which way. "You are going to take a shower, relax and unpack. There are some things I must take care of before retiring for the night."

"And when will that be?" Kagome wrung her hands in front of her, the nervous gesture not making it past the dog demon.

"As soon as you are ready," he reassured her. "Take your time but do not delay the inevitable. It has been a while since I have slept. I am weary."

"Okay."

Sesshoumaru pulled the door behind him. "I will see you in a small while."

"See you."

The door clicked shut and Sesshoumaru gave a sigh of relief. It was almost too much for him to bear, seeing Kagome strewn across his bed like that. _Almost._

He had a contract to finish looking through and by the time he finished, an hour and a half passed since the time he left Kagome in his room. She left the bedroom door slightly ajar. When he pushed through his heart warmed. Kagome was asleep, passed out on the giant bed, all the way to one side and completely buried under the down comforter. Her hair was braided back, her aura radiated a gentle glow around her.

Sesshoumaru showed a rare smile and went about getting ready for bed. After a nice and relatively short shower he put on a pair of sleeping pants and stood at the edge of his bed, almost afraid to climb in, afraid to wake up the angel, afraid this was all just another dream. But climb into bed he did. Sesshoumaru normally slept in the center of his bed and tonight would be no different. He lay on his side to watch Kagome and felt so very empty. It wasn't right that she was so far away from him.

Earlier Kagome had mentioned that she was a heavy sleeper so Sesshoumaru held himself upright with one arm and wrapped his other around her waist to drag her closer to him. She startled at being moved but with quiet whispers from Sesshoumaru, her eyes closed again and she curled her back against his chest, as though she always slept against him.

Once Kagome was where she should be, Sesshoumaru lay down and spooned her from behind. His arm tightened around her waist, his nose buried in her hair so he could take in that wonderful scent of her shampoo, that same scent he recognized her by in the Feudal Era.

His beast purred in contentment and as Kagome's scent and aura blanketed him, he fell deeper and deeper until for the first time that Sesshoumaru would recall, he fell asleep, dead to the world.

She was so nice and warm. Her body was the most relaxed it had been in a long while and when Kagome finally opened her eyes, she realized why. This was a bed she did not know and she was being held by an arm that was not hers.

Kagome stiffened when she didn't recognize her surroundings immediately and the growl at her back had her stiffening further. Who was here with her? Who's arm was this holding her in place?

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome whispered, hoping it was him.

"Hn."

Kagome let out a breath and relaxed into the bedding. The fear of the unknown was gone and replaced with anxiety again.

"Cease being anxious."

Kagome pouted. "How?"

His arm was over her rib cage, beneath her chest, and that arm tightened so she was brought closer to the warm body behind her. "Know that you are safe and right where you belong."

That didn't help Kagome's nerves in any way but it did help her to relax her body a little more.

"You need to become more familiar with my body."

Heat rose in Kagome's face and body. She was sure Sesshoumaru would be able to feel the temperature change against his stomach but at least she was spared the humiliation of blushing where he could see. Kagome didn't realize that his hand position across her ribcage allowed him to feel her heart speed up. He grinned against her head.

"How do you propose I do that?"

Sesshoumaru's fingers stroked her ribs gently and her mind began to take dangerous roads in her imagination. Imagine if she could wake up like this every morning next to Sesshoumaru, stroking her lovingly, curled against his warmth and strength.

He began to purr, not something she could hear. More that she could feel it vibrating through her body. That sound was so relaxing. Of course he had chosen that time to disturb her.

"What are you thinking of?" It was a curious lilt to his voice, one she'd never heard the like of. He was trying to be gentle in his tone to coax her into telling him.

"Nothing."

"You are lying."

Kagome's face turned red. She couldn't very well tell him what she was thinking of.

"I…I was just being a girl is all. Nothing to worry about."

Sesshoumaru's fingers stilled. "Kagome, the quickest way to be comfortable is to be open and honest." A few seconds passed, "I would know what made your aura feel content." She tensed and he countered, "I will not mock you."

Well, it was guaranteed that humiliation would be a part of this package and he would be able to scent her lying _again_. So she chose to answer with her face in the pillow.

With a smirk, Sesshoumaru said in a soft voice "not even my demonic hearing could decipher that."

Kagome took a deep breath. "I was thinking-" her face was hotter than a bonfire in the middle of summer-"how nice it would be to wake up this way…every morning." She buried her face in the pillow, mortified and in disbelief that those words actually left her mouth. How…did he have her under a spell?

"Would you like to?"

Did he really just ask that? "What?" But he was not about to repeat himself.

"What do you like about waking up this way?" He asked it with a smile that edged closer to being a smirk and Kagome didn't appreciate it at all.

Kagome flipped over in an instant with a finger jabbing into his chest, her eyes narrowed. She could hear the smirk in his voice. "You said you-ugh! You know what-forget it-" Kagome moved to sit up and get off the bed but a firm arm around her waist and a low growl stilled her.

"Why are you angry?"

"Because you-" Kagome sniffled. Her emotions were wild around Sesshoumaru. She couldn't think straight around him, she couldn't form an opinion-her brain was slowly turning to mush. And above all that, he was now making fun of her!

Tears leaked from her eyes and she wiped them away, keeping her face hidden from him. He dragged her into his lap, he was sitting against the headboard.

"Do not cry little one." A warm hand cupped her face and pushed it against his chest. "Would you feel more relaxed if I were to tell you I thought the same thing when I woke with you in my arms?" He lifted the sheet to her face to dry her tears. At least she was listening now.

"I have dreamed of meeting you again, for centuries now. And to know you are the only one who is the closest to my equal in power and strength serves to please me more than any other thought. To know that I must create an unbreakable bond with you to heal my loved ones and many others who suffer from the same cruelty of parentage, pleases me to no end."

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome sniffled the last of her tears away. '_An unbreakable bond? But the only kind of bonds like that are mating bonds!_' She kept her thoughts to herself but did ask, "Why me?"

"You are familiar with the idea that you keep a part of everyone you come in contact with? With youkai, we leave youki in those we come in contact with. The more powerful youkai can dissolve that youki left behind with their own and can leave traces in others. After our many encounters, you stopped rejecting and purifying my youki and pieces of my youki began to weave itself into your reiki make-up. This goes both ways, Kagome. You are near my equal but I am the only youkai alive that can withstand the full fury of your power because you have also left a part of your reiki with me. Our energies formed a bond in the past that still holds to this very day."

"Even after all these years? How did it last that long?"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and relished in the feeling of her light touches across his skin. She was paying him proper attention as a mate should, though she didn't know she was endearing herself to his beast even further. "You made an impression on me. You stood up to me, you were loyal to your companions even when they did not deserve it-"

Kagome looked up at him, "You're referring to your brother," was a statement more than a question.

"Especially him."

Silence whispered through the room and Kagome broke it again. "I – I'm afraid, Sesshoumaru."

"Afraid of what?"

Her fingers stilled and she curled her hands between their bodies, as if to shield herself. "I've been wearing these rings for so long to subdue my powers, I don't know how powerful I am. What if I'm too strong for you?"

At that, Sesshoumaru chuckled. "Impossible. No being is stronger than me."

"Tch," Kagome scoffed. "Well, you'd sure give them a run for their money. They'd have to chip away at your ego first and that would take a millennia."

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru grinned and kissed Kagome on the crown of her head. "Best we get ready for the day. We have to go to the hospital."

Kagome groaned and jumped out of bed when he threatened her with tickles. "Alright, alright! I'm up."

They were back the hospital and for that Kagome was glad. It had been a little awkward for her at breakfast this morning. Turned out Sesshoumaru was still sadistic after all these centuries. He nearly forced her to sit on his lap as she ate breakfast; her face was red the whole morning. When she asked him why she had to suffer the indignity he scoffed and told her it would help their bond. He wanted her as close as possible to speed up her getting over this misplaced shyness of hers and he told her as much.

Kagome got a little huffy and was embarrassed when the whole family took turns coming in for breakfast and Sesshoumaru wouldn't let her off his lap.

"Why do you insist that I sit on your lap? You like making me feel embarrassed?" It was a harsh whisper but Shippo was kind and pretended not to hear.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about. I told you before that inu are very affectionate."

Her energy fluctuated all over the kitchen and Sesshoumaru took a deep breath before adjusting his youki to be more soothing. He rubbed his cheek against her shoulder and his nose through her hair.

"Stop," she asked quietly.

But Sesshoumaru ignored her half-hearted protest. Shippo sat down across them at the table with a grin not unlike Sesshoumaru's.

"Looks like you two finally got things straightened out. It's about time you let yourself be happy, Kagome."

Kagome bristled but knew Shippo was only speaking the truth.

"I was wondering how much longer Sesshoumaru was going to be able to hold out," the fox demon said between bites. "He's been waiting a long time for you."

Kagome relaxed a little more on Sesshoumaru's lap when she heard that.

"He has, has he?" Kagome looked back to glare at Sesshoumaru, to which she received another smirk.

"He was pretty unbearable these last couple of decades. It was like his beast knew you were around but he couldn't find you. If Seiichi hadn't found you, I think Sesshoumaru would have started to lose himself to his beast."

Those words penetrated Kagome's heart and as much as her modern-day self knew that it sounded wrong that someone who she thought didn't know her had wanted her for that long. Her past self, the one that traveled through time felt the echo of his words in her heart and it softened in sympathy to the demon whose lap she currently occupied.

Her hand naturally smoothed over the one around her waist to comfort him and she was carefully pulled closer to the steely chest behind her. "Is that true Sesshoumaru? Were you that close to losing it?"

There was a low growl meant for Shippo and Kagome knew why. Sesshoumaru's voice was low, speaking through a growl.

"It is not the kit's place-"

Kagome twisted herself in his lap and looked into his red-ringed eyes. "Did you really have that hard a time, Sesshoumaru?" Her heart ached with sympathy at hearing that he _had_ actually suffered that long.

Those golden-red eyes dragged their hostility away from the kit and penetrated into her. "It was a nuisance-"

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Don't downplay pain, Sesshoumaru. Tell me," and in a softer voice and with concern in her eyes, "I need to know. Did you have a hard time?"

She felt him stiffen under her and felt his youki become irritable. He didn't want to show weakness but Kagome still felt it. His lip curled slightly and a low growl escaped his mouth until he felt two cool hands on either side of his face.

"I'm sorry you had to wait so long." Her reiki soothed him through her hands and the burning in his eyes caused by the beast was cooled when her lips pressed against one eyelid and then the other. Her thumbs smoothed over his cheek bones before Kagome placed a kiss on either side of his lips.

When Sesshoumaru opened his eyes again, they were golden flames and the anger at the kit was absent but filled with a different intensity. "I have you now and that is all that matters."

She wasn't allowed to leave his lap until he let her go but she was less embarrassed after hearing the way he almost lost himself to his beast because they hadn't been able to find her.

At the hospital, Sesshoumaru still held her when they were in the elevator but this time there was no strange and cold woman telling her about herself. Sesshoumaru gathered the nursing staff and told them about the counsel Muri Mai gave them for the healing of the children. Kagome was allowed full access to all the rooms and she was the only one allowed near Tessaiga.

The day had warranted no negative side effects from the children. Sesshoumaru informed her that they would visit each child and spend a half hour with them, whether to read or color or talk. This would expose their combined youki and reiki and hopefully, the battling powers within the children would take note of the calmer energies of the adults and copy it. For the most part, it worked.

The children on the highest level didn't show much progress but they didn't go the opposite way either, so that was a positive for them. It was understandable that their therapy would take longer. But yes, day one was successful!

Dinner was at home with the family and the conversation around the table was lively as Kagome's bubbly personality exploded with the day's events. Shippo was engaged in the conversation, Rin was a little more hesitant in being hopeful though. Sesshoumaru, who was always acutely aware of Rin's emotions, turned to her.

"Rin, this will work. We will save Nobuhiro, he will wake."

Rin's eyes watered and she nodded to him, not saying anything, afraid her voice would crack. Shippo pulled her in for a hug and she gave him a watery smile. "Don't worry, Rin. Everything will be okay." He rubbed her arms and she buried her face in his shoulder.

Kagome's heart ached as she remembered that one of Shippo's and Rin's children had already died from this perilous imbalance. She reached for comfort and found it in Sesshoumaru's hand entwined with hers. He gave a gentle squeeze despite the frown on his face.

After dinner, Sesshoumaru led Kagome down a hallway she hadn't been in yet. They reached a door that had a barrier over it and with a pulse of youki, the barrier softened enough to let them through.

"Where are we going?" Kagome leaned closer to him as they walked down the staircase into a lower level of the house. The stairway was lined with youki-activated lights and they finally reached what looked like a young boy's room. Pictures lined the wall of people Kagome did not know. There were old black and white photos next to modern ones, cards flapping on the walls wishing happy birthdays and get wells. At the far corner of the room was a bed with a young boy who looked no older than ten, lying still as if sleeping. What made this all look wrong was a glowing white sword that was plunged through the boy's chest.

"What is this place? Who is that?" Kagome grabbed Sesshoumaru's arm and hid behind him as they neared the boy.

"This is Nobuhiro, one of your grandchildren. He is Shippo's and Rin's seventh child, their second son. Kimiko was their first child who showed symptoms of imbalance and did not survive. Nobuhiro's symptoms did not surface until near his fifteenth year."

Kagome edged closer to Nobuhiro and took a good look at the sword. It pulsed in recognition of her and she noticed a good-sized hole, a perfect circle had been cut from the blade of the sword. A white tendril of energy snaked through the air until it connected to Sesshoumaru's hand.

"That ring _was_ a part of Tenseiga, I knew it!" Kagome watched as the sword disappeared from the boys chest and reappeared in Sesshoumaru's hand. The boys chest moved up and down as he began to breathe again. "Why does the sword have to be in the boy? What kind of power does Tenseiga have now?" she wondered aloud.

"Tenseiga is an extension of myself and my father. Because Nobuhiro's energies fluctuate recklessly, Tenseiga acts as a grounding wire and turns off his youki and reiki. I keep a part of Tenseiga on me to draw from my youki stores and I can control any uprising that may occur when I am away from home." Sesshoumaru lifted the sword to his face and stared at it for a while. "But Tenseiga was not made for this purpose and he grows tired of constantly expending energy."

"What side effect does this have on Nobuhiro?"

Sesshoumaru looked over their grandson with a frown. "He has the power of a mere human when Tenseiga is imbedded in him. That is the only side effect I am aware of. The sword keeps him suspended in time."

The great dog demon walked to the head of the child and stroked his hair a few times before resting his large palm on the boy's forehead. His other hand stretched out for Kagome's. She placed her hand in Sesshoumaru's and followed his instruction to put her other hand on Nobuhiro's heart.

"I am going to pour some of my youki into you. Let is mix with your reiki and let our energy pass through your hand and into his heart."

"Are you sure this is safe?" Kagome grew a little nervous, they hadn't even tried this on anyone yet, hadn't tested this theory of theirs.

"I expect it to be safe."

"But we don't even have a strong bond-" but it was too late. His youki was already coursing down her arm like vodka on an empty stomach.

"Accept me with your reiki, let us mix together."

"It burns," she whispered with heat.

Sesshoumaru grasped her hand tighter. "I apologize. Cool it, temper it with your reiki but do not put out the fire," he instructed.

Kagome took deep breaths until Sesshoumaru's fire that coursed through her body felt more like she was sitting next to a fire rather than standing above one. Her reiki was blue and at first contact with Sesshoumaru's reiki, it snapped a couple times. Kagome heard Sesshoumaru tell her to concentrate and let them dance.

Dance.

That word changed the way she thought to mix her reiki in with the fire stream that was Sesshoumaru's youki. She ordered her reiki to dance and like a professional ballerina, the blue reiki tendrils pressed themselves against the white that was Sesshoumaru's youki. They weaved in and out of each other and she felt her instincts kick in _'yes, this is how'_.

It was time.

Kagome released the mixed energy from her hand and streamed it into the boy. There was a large intake of breath, it came from Nobuhiro but his eyes did not remain open.

"Slow down, Kagome. Release it slower."

Kagome heeded Sesshoumaru's order and streamed only a fine line of energy through to Nobuhiro's heart. His breathing slowed down and they could see his energy manifest itself outside his body. Waves of purple and yellow ceased snapping at each other like cobras and calmed until they were still.

"Now slowly cut off the energy. We have done enough for one day."

Once again, Kagome heeded Sesshoumaru and when the last bit of energy was passed on, the remainder swirled in her and brought a smile to her face. She stepped back and watched as the sword appeared in Sesshoumaru's hand again, disappeared and then reappeared in Nobuhiro's chest. She could feel Tenseiga pulsing as if thanking them.

"Tenseiga is happy." Kagome smiled, she could feel the spirit of the sword caressing her with warmth.

"He is grateful for the rest."

His warmth was still in her and it amazed her that such a powerful part of his make up could co-exist so well with her. It made her feel…

…whole.

Sesshoumaru caught her smile and knew her thoughts. "It is a pleasant feeling, having your reiki in me."

Kagome looked at him wide-eyed. She never thought he'd say half the things he already had the previous day but this, him admitting that he enjoyed the feeling of having her energy in him, was a little hard for her to believe.

"I feel," she started but stopped. She didn't want to sound stupid in front of him.

"-complete?" he finished for her. When she nodded, Sesshoumaru gave her a smile that made her melt. "This is the beginning of the bond we will forge. It will only get better, that I promise."

Kagome took one more look at Nobuhiro before Sesshoumaru led her up the stairs with his hand at the small of her back. She was exhausted. Is this why Sesshoumaru always seemed so tired and stressed? Did he do this every day?

Well, hopefully his burden would be lighter with her around and hopefully she would be able to make a sizeable difference. If not for him, then for all those like her grandson and Shippo and Rin.

*** AUTHOR'S NOTE ***

**I am so sorry this took so long to get out. I really am. I don't even remember the last time I updated but I hope that things begin to move a bit faster in the story. Thank you to all those who have faithfully followed and reviewed and added this story to their favorites list. It helps to remind me that there are people out there reading and waiting.**

**Please feel free to review. I like to get a good idea of how many people read through this story! You guys are the best!  
**

**Echo**


	12. The Seals

CHAPTER 12: The Seals

The next two days whizzed by. Sesshoumaru instigated meditation sessions with Kagome to help her accept his youki easier. If this was to succeed, they needed to make sure that their energies were as mixed and inseparable as possible.

So far, all had been going well.

"We need to try this without your seals."

"Wait," Kagome put her hands on her hips and looked at him. "You mean without my rings?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru answered patiently. "I told you that I cannot bond with only half of you. I need to bond with all of you in order for this to work."

Kagome stiffened at his tone. "Oh, so what you're saying is it's my fault we're not moving as fast as we need to?"

Sesshoumaru's hackles rose with her tone but he held his temper. He knew how heavy the importance of strengthening their bond weighed on her mind. And it wasn't as though he'd really made things easy on her by saying all the little caresses were just to help the bond along. "You need to put aside your fear so we can do what we have to."

"Oh, I need to put aside my fear?" Her hands went from her hips to a crossed position at her chest. "Why am I afraid? Tell me then!"

Sesshoumaru pinched the bridge of his nose. She'd been most difficult as of late, after he told her they needed to step up their training by removing the seals on her powers. "You are afraid because you do not trust me."

Kagome may have been angry but she wasn't out to hurt Sesshoumaru. "No, I don't want to demolish life on this planet as I know it!" Her anger turned into tears that streamed down her face. Her body went limp and her shoulders sagged. "If I release my powers, they can lash out and kill a lot of people. I keep them on because I'm a danger to everyone."

"You have never hurt anyone on accident. It's against your base nature." He brushed his finger against her cheek to wipe away her tears. Three days of having to be at his side, Kagome had relaxed around him quite a bit. She sought comfort from him more freely now, fell against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. He knew she was scared but her fears should have fallen at the way side as her trust in him grew stronger. It pained him that she did not trust him as Rin did, but in the past, Sesshoumaru had not given her reason to.

Kagome continued, somewhat more placated now. "When you knew me, my soul was not intact. A third of it was with Kikyo and the other third was being sealed by Magatsuhi. It was any wonder I survived at all back then with what little I had."

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear that. She had shown such strength during the search for the Shikon Jewel. She had been incredibly powerful during the search? Could it really be true, that she was only functioning on a third of her soul? He was there when Magatsuhi's seal was broken and her aura purified everything around her without her realizing it. Right now, her reiki level felt stronger than she was at that point in time. He was very interested to see how high a level she was at now.

"And now?"

Kagome sighed. "When I returned home and had all those problems, I ran away to a shrine. Luckily I found Mari and Muri Mai. My powers were so out of control, they destroyed protection seals placed around the grounds and absorbed– no – sucked other people's reiki in like a black hole. I actually caused physical pain to many of the weaker priests and priestesses there." Her eyes watered again and she whispered her secret to him. "They thought I didn't know, but I did."

Sesshoumaru felt the guilt eating away at her and tightened his hold.

Blue eyes lifted to amber, "Those were people with similar powers to mine, Sesshoumaru. If I can do that to people who share similar energy, can you imagine what will happen to people with opposite energy?"

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her into the sky. He had placed barriers around his land that allowed him this freedom without being spotted. "Kagome, look at me."

Kagome sniffled a few more times and lifted her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes were blood shot, she was tired and scared of what was to come. He couldn't blame her for that. "This bond we are trying to create is between two energies that were once one. If done correctly, I will be the equivalent of your rings."

"The equivalent?"

His golden eyes gazed into hers, making promises she didn't understand. "When our energies combine, I will always be with you, inside you, as you will be inside me. I will help to tame your reiki and teach you to control it as I had to learn to control my youki when I was but a pup." Her eyes clouded with tears. She understood but was still frightened. "Your reiki will be mine and my youki shall be yours. We will draw upon one another for strength and balance. This is as it should be."

There was a question begging to be asked but for the life of her, Kagome couldn't put it into words. Something about the permanence of this situation escaped her. "But Sesshoumaru, why would you want to do this? Why would you want to take all of this, all of _me_ on?"

Sesshoumaru knew what he wanted to say but hesitated. There was one thing he needed a bit more reassurance from her side before plunging ahead. "You are my equal. There is no other like you in the world. We were made for each other, Kagome, and I am the only one in the world who can save you."

Kagome pressed her head against his chest again. She was giving in but didn't want to do it here. "If we do this, we need to go somewhere that nothing lives. I don't want to take the chance of hurting anyone."

"Agreed," Sesshoumaru said. "Pack lightly. We leave in an hour."

SKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSK SKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSKSK SKSKSKSKSKSKSKSK

An hour flew by and before she knew it, Kagome was nestled safely against Sesshoumaru's chest before he blinked them away into oblivion. Traveling by light orb was the fastest and least detectable means available to them. Within what seemed liked minutes, Sesshoumaru touched down on solid rock.

Kagome dared to let go of him and swayed. She grabbed for his arm but missed and just before she hit the ground, a strong arm caught her around the waist and pulled her back up. "Come, let me show you where we will be staying."

The courtyard was made entirely of stone and so was the temple that sat at the top of the hill. All around them were clouds, white puffy clouds that had no end. "Where are we?"

"We are at a temple on a secluded island, one that has remained untouched for several centuries."

"The temple or the island?"

"Both," he said nonchalantly. "I had it cleared out except for a few old families of servants centuries ago. This is my private get away if you will." He led her to the temple but to the side where a small sleeping room was. "You may leave your bag here." Sesshoumaru then guided her back to the temple.

Two sitting cushions were on the floor and he stretched a hand out to let her know she was to sit on one. "We're going to start now?"

"Yes," he said, "before you over analyze and get too nervous."

"Oh." Kagome sat on the cushion and waited for further instruction.

Sesshoumaru sat across from her. "So you are aware, couples who create this bond sometimes take on the traits of the other. When their energies combine, it may manifest physically."

"So I might be as beautiful as you when this is all over?" she jested.

Sesshoumaru shook his head and the hopeful glint in her eyes faded. "It is impossible for you to be more beautiful than you already are."

Kagome didn't expect to hear that and blushed furiously. Her mouth opened and then shut just as quickly.

He smirked. "Close your eyes." Kagome closed her eyes and her nerves got the better of her. "You must remain calm, Kagome."

"Easy for you to say." It was easy for the taiyoukai to sense her distress over what was to come. Her reiki fluctuated and snapped throughout the room. It was wise of him to bring them to this secluded place. It would have been wiser of him to conduct this session out in the open where the ceiling would not fall on them should their powers get feisty.

Already her powers were getting wild and he hadn't even attempted to remove her rings. "Kagome," his voice was low and demanding, "you must calm down."

"I can't," she said. Her body shook.

There was an age old way that they used to make these kinds of bonds but that was out of the question for now. Instead he would practice a different kind of energy manipulation. "Do you trust me?"

Kagome peeked out of one eye. That was always a loaded question when in situations like these. But she found herself saying, "yes."

With an outstretched hand, Sesshoumaru helped her stand and led her outside to the courtyard. Yet to let go of her hand, he stopped in the center and faced her, reaching out to grab her other hand.

"Close your eyes," he whispered. Just as Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself, warm lips pressed against hers. She gasped into his mouth and her eyes flew open. But as those warm lips moved against hers, she clamped her eyes shut and unknowingly tensed her body. How many times had she already imagined this scene playing out? She didn't want it to stop when she woke up so she forced herself to stay asleep, because surely this must be a dream.

"Why are you so tense?" Sesshoumaru's voice was more ragged than he would have liked.

"I'm trying not to wake up," she whispered.

The low chuckle of a pleased male ego sounded through the stone courtyard. "I assure you this is no dream." His lips branded hers, fire shot through her body as his youki poured into her like molten lava. A rumble of pleasure shot through her and rattled her in the most pleasing way. Her reiki pushed against his youki as if to test the strength of it. Sesshoumaru pulled away.

His voice burned her when he spoke. "Let my youki in, Kagome."

Sesshoumaru's goal was to seduce her mind into mush but he did not take into account the effects kissing Kagome would have on himself. He ripped his lips away from hers and trailed them all over her face and down her neck, over her shoulder. His tongue took turns in leaving imprints of his youki on her skin and he could taste her power under her flesh, wishing she would share it with him.

Kagome's head was bent to the side while Sesshoumaru finished his assault on her neck. He paused and hugged her close, his hot breath fanned her neck. He could hear the blood rushing through the veins and it made his blood pulse in accord. She was breathing just as hard as him and her voice was husky when she asked, "Sesshoumaru, exactly what kind of training is _this_?"

His shoulders shook until his laughter erupted. Kagome's scent that was laced with arousal spiked dramatically when he laughed and that tidbit of information was stowed away in the taiyoukai's memories. He kissed his way back up to her lips and when he was satisfied with the way she kissed him in return, he pulled away to look down at her.

His large hands slid to her hips and pulled her close. Her eyes glistened with passion, her sweet lips swollen from his "training" technique. The smile she bestowed on him then inflamed his soul because it was full of love and happiness. Never had such a look been given to him before and the fact that she was still so pure of soul even after all these centuries made the effects of her gaze more powerful. Her hands were currently wrapped behind his neck and her fingers played with the fine hairs at the base of his head.

Sesshoumaru saw a flash of the future with her. They were here at the temple and three white-haired children ran around them, full of laughter. He shook his head and looked down at the angel in his arms.

"Never have I seen anything as beautiful as what I am looking at right now."

His eyes were so intense, those fires burned in the back of the amber irises and Kagome's cheeks turned pink.

For the safety of her heart, Kagome chose to think he referred to the scenery.

"Me neither. I have always loved temple ruins and the fact that it's set atop the mountain is-"

A low growl stopped her from finishing her sentence. "I am referring to _you_, woman. I have never seen a more beautiful creature than _you_ at this very moment."

Kagome's blush darkened. A nervous chuckle escaped her lips. "See, Sesshoumaru? You want me to release my powers but what little I've let go of during your…_training_ has injured your brain."

Sesshoumaru felt a drop in her energy. Her insecurity raged and she moved to leave his embrace but she wasn't going to get away from him again, figuratively or literally. His arms tightened around her and pulled her close.

"Look at me." She was looking down at his chest only because they were too close for her to see her feet. Just seconds ago her body sang with need that he coaxed into her and now he could smell the tears that were close to falling. Kagome shook her head.

Sesshoumaru gently placed a hand under her chin and was careful not to touch his sharp claws to her cheeks. He forced her head up. "Look at me," he said more forcefully. The former Lord of the West had not used that tone with her in centuries but he found it necessary now. He would not see her in this state.

Slowly, deep blue eyes edged in tears looked into his eyes. Fear sat in its depths and his heart ached. Slow and deliberate he said, "_You_ are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen." Her eyes would not leave his, not that he would have allowed it. "I will hear you say it." He needed her to see herself as he did.

Kagome's eyes lightened but still held onto the sadness. Her hand moved up to caress his cheek. Her voice was soft. "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."

"No." He grabbed her hand and pulled it down to her side. He actually glared at her this time. "You will say 'I am the most beautiful creature Sesshoumaru has ever seen.' Now say it."

Hardness entered her eyes and her voice. "Why?" She thought she was stubborn? Sesshoumaru had over a thousand years to perfect that specific trait.

"Because, you will always know where you stand with me."

"And where do I stand now?"

He did not have to think about that answer. "Where you belong." She stiffened in anticipation of his answer, "in my arms."

The fight left her. Whatever she thought he would say, that hadn't been it. Kagome's body sagged slightly and she rested her head against his chest and let out a sigh. Sesshoumaru tightened his hold on her and rest his chin on the crown of her black locks. "You still haven't repeated my words. I will hear them now, Kagome." Sesshoumaru smiled when her body went rigid suddenly and with a none too gentle squeeze, she relaxed again. Her voice was soft when she repeated his words.

"I did not hear you." It was a lie, he did hear her mumbled words but he would have her say it loud enough that she could hear herself saying it. Confidence had much to do with the control of everything but especially your own powers. If this new adventure were to succeed, he would need her to be so confident that she bordered arrogance.

Kagome sighed again. "I am the most beautiful creature Sesshoumaru has ever seen."

Sesshoumaru kissed the top of her head. "Now you will say it again." When she was about to protest, he cut her off. "I did not speak it with apathy, woman. You bewitch me, Kagome. Say it again with the pride I have when I look at you."

Despite her attempts, Kagome could not hold back her soft smile. Sesshoumaru could not see her face but it did not matter. That smile could be felt in her soul and in the small bond that was growing between them. "I am the most beautiful creature my Sesshoumaru has ever seen."

Sesshoumaru moved his lips to her neck and inhaled her sweet natural scent. Beneath her human scent lay the scent of a dormant power that could overwhelm anything he ever knew. He kissed her pulse. And then again. "Yes, you are the most beautiful creature _your_ Sesshoumaru has ever seen." Did she even know she had claimed him in her repeated statement? Probably not.

The taiyoukai pulled away and held Kagome's hands between his. "Let us find something to eat." Sesshoumaru started walking away and decided he'd pushed Kagome's bounds far enough for the day. He relaxed his fingers from her grip to let go but to his surprise and great pleasure, those small fingers intertwined with his and held fast.

The smile never left his face the rest of the day.

They had been on Sesshoumaru's private island for three days now and the training had been going remarkably well in Kagome's eyes. She could see how easily her energy mixed with Sesshoumaru's now. The demon had the audacity to smirk when she finally realized how her energy constantly reached out for his for comfort or strength or merely just companionship. He made her practice pulling her energy completely into herself and found that she didn't like that feeling. Kagome thought that's how she'd been this entire time, not realizing that her reiki actually never stayed within her. It was always stretching across wide expanses, gently of course.

"I didn't know it was doing that. Have I always done that?"

"I assume so, since containing your energy seems to make you feel ill. How do you feel now?"

Kagome had so far completely contained her energy within herself for almost a half hour and was starting to sweat from the exertion. Should she lie to Sesshoumaru or at least hide some of the truth, that she felt empty without his youki mixing with hers? How had she become dependent on that feeling so quickly? Would he sense the half truth?

"I feel like throwing up." Sesshoumaru gave her a flat look. She wasn't ready to tell him yet. "How does it feel to you? Do you feel any different now that I'm holding it all in?" Kagome looked over her companion. His eyes were tinged a pink so light she thought she could be imagining it. "You feel a little irritable."

"I feel irritable? You can feel this?"

Kagome nodded. "I can feel your youki trying to get into my skin. What's it doing?" she asked with a grin. It was a strange feeling indeed and so unique that she laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Sesshoumaru actually looked disgruntled when she opened her eyes and looked at him sitting across from her.

"I don't think your youki likes my reiki being locked up. I'm imagining that your youki is irritated at my reiki, like it shut it out of the house or something and your youki is pounding on the door to get back inside." Kagome smiled and closed her eyes again to see the world made of energy. There was Sesshoumaru's youki trying to find its way back into her again, where it had made itself at home for nearly a week now, including the days at home before they came to this place.

"What does it feel like, holding your energy in?"

Kagome was quiet for a few seconds before she could find the right words. "I feel like I'm going to explode, like my reiki will burst through my skin and I'll turn to ash. Everything is a lot quieter now, my senses are more dull and I'm kind of nervous because I…can't feel anything."

Kagome's blue eyes shot open. Fear and sadness clouded her eyes. "I don't like it."

Concern shone in Sesshoumaru's eyes. "Why not?"

Her gaze did not falter. "Because I can't feel you." She was afraid of what he would say in response to that so she plowed forward. Her breathing and heart rate sped up. "I feel alone again." The feelings of when she first realized she couldn't travel through the well hit her as fresh as though she was reliving that day. Controlling her reiki like this took such a strong emotional and physical toll on her that she couldn't stop the tears edging her eyes. "Sesshoumaru-"

The plea to stop was in her voice and it tugged at his heart. Though Kagome held her reiki in, that did not stop Sesshoumaru from smelling the despair around her or the fear she felt.

The tear that fell from her eyes was the breaking point for him. He did not like her holding back her energy any more than she did. His beast was taking it personally and he knew the creature was near the surface. If Kagome had been hiding while attempting this lockdown of her powers, he would have gone mad and his beast would have roamed this island, ripping everything apart in the process to find her.

The only reason it did not was because he could see her sitting not one foot away. This lockdown affected him more than he thought he would. Sesshoumaru's voice was ragged when he finally spoke.

"Then let me in, Kagome, and never be alone again."

Those words broke through the self-made dam and Kagome and her reiki hit Sesshoumaru in one fell swoop. She launched herself into his unsuspecting arms and her lips sealed themselves to his. Just that half hour of being denied her energy made a difference when their lips touched. Every contact of flesh upon flesh unlocked more of her reiki and burned deliciously under his hands until their energies blended in desperation.

Sesshoumaru growled as Kagome's reiki pushed its way through him and surrounded his pounding heart, soothing the beast that was near mad with missing its other half. Kagome's hands clenched in his hair, drawing another growl from him and that was as much as he could take of that.

He flipped her onto her back and covered her with his body. Neither knew when Kagome's legs wrapped around his waist but her hands scoured his body in search of something and if they weren't stopped, Sesshoumaru wouldn't either. He grabbed her wrists and held them above her head and moved his lips and tongue to the pulse at her neck in an attempt to calm himself down.

What had they been doing?

Oh yeah, they were trying to control her energy.

Sesshoumaru could not ignore the way Kagome arched her body up against his or how she suckled his ear, nibbling every now and again. Her reiki was burning through him and Sesshoumaru was forced to answer her challenge by releaseing more of his youki. Instead of calming the fires of her aura, it made the flames lick higher, no surprise with the amount of arousal in the mix. He had to take her reiki and burn it in his youki outside his body to get rid of the excess. It was just as he predicted. He would need to fully challenge this reiki that wanted to dominate his youki and in order to do that, he needed to remove her rings.

Her fear of the unknown held her back from doing what was necessary. If Sesshoumaru were a lesser demon with lesser amounts of self-control honed over the centuries, none of what was about to happen _would_ happen.

He ground himself against her, his spine pricked in pleasure and Kagome's head flew back. He covered her lips with his and poured his youki into her, to fill the small holes that her reiki had not filled yet. Her reiki rose higher to meet the challenge and with a flick of his fingers, the rings holding back Kagome's energy flew off her middle fingers. They clinked away in the background and suddenly a roar filled Sesshoumaru's ears.

His skin burned, Kagome screamed in his mouth as the full extent of her reiki overtook his youki with the element of surprise. Never had Sesshoumaru encountered a soul this large or powerful. It reminded him of his father's energy, wide and unending. But that memory stemmed from a youthful Sesshoumaru and now Sesshoumaru was much stronger, centuries so.

The taiyoukai released his bindings on his beast and he roared as his power filled him and answered her challenge. The two auras shook the mountain they sat upon. Stones fell from the centuries-old columns at the temple. If there had ever been a power struggle, now was it. A hint of caution for his well-being crossed his mind before the his stubbornness refused to back down. It was a challenge of the alphas and he _would_ be Kagome's alpha. He poured his youki into her, his forehead pressed against her collarbone, he was crouched over her on his hands and knees as he slowly shifted. But he must not shift, they would lose contact and he needed more.

Without second though, Sesshoumaru opened his mouth and his fangs elongated. Kagome's eyes were closed as she fought against the storm of their combined auras.

"Sesshoumaru, what's happening?" Fear was evident now and her aura flickered on the verge of losing control.

"Submit to me," his voice was ragged.

"How?" He could smell her tears and it made him desperate. "It hurts."

"I will be your alpha, I will provide for your every need. You will be mine and turn to no one else for your every comfort-" his voice was more beast than human, "for affection. You will be mine for all to see."

"I'll be yours?"

"Forever."

He heard her hair scrape against the dirty stones under her head. She looked at him. "What are you saying?"

"You will be my mate."

Kagome's eyes widened. Her blue eyes glowed so bright they were almost white. "Don't, you don't want to be stuck with me for the rest of your life-"

Sesshoumaru snarled and grinned when he saw her fear for him shrink away. "I have wanted nothing more than to be stuck with you from the first moment we met again, woman."

"I don't understand-"

Sesshoumaru nuzzled her neck. The burn of her holy powers was more a vigorous love scratch against his youki now. He could smell the near perfect mix of their powers from under her skin. She was almost ready for the bond to be completed.

"Say it."

"Say what?"

Sesshoumaru nipped at her bare shoulder. "That you will be my mate."

"Sesshoumaru-"

He silenced her by grinding against her again. "Say it now and you will never want for anything. This is what a true bond is. I will never let you run away from me again."

He waited for her to say something and got his answer when she pressed her lips against his and invaded his mouth with her tongue. Her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him close.

"I need to hear you say it, my Kagome."

He didn't breathe until he heard her softly say, "I submit to you, Sesshoumaru."

The ground work of the temple was no more except for the small area around them. All other stones had been demolished, anything not rooted down was in shambles.

It was all he needed to hear. Sesshoumaru suckled the spot on her shoulder that he wanted his mark to appear on and sank his fangs into her flesh, pouring the final bits of his restrained youki into her. Kagome screamed in pain and ecstasy as a totally new feeling penetrated her.

Before this moment she could feel him constantly around her, his youki always surrounded her like a warm blanket on a cool winter day but now he could feel the fires of his spirit warming her from the inside. The burn of her aura cooled, the opposite of what she thought would happen. Kagome thought her reiki was going to absorb her into herself and she would be nothing but just as Sesshoumaru had promised, his youki was the answer. The raging fire between them cooled and as Kagome gained her breath again, she felt – full.

Only once had Kagome tried to drink hard liquor. It had spread its warmth through her limbs and her head, making her foggy minded and lethargic. This was something like that but nothing at all at the same time. She felt stuffed, like there was no room left in her for anything and when that faded after a minute, there was a sharpness in her mind, an awareness that she had never previously had. It was almost like seeing everything in super-high resolution.

'Mate.'

Sesshoumaru licked the wound he created on her shoulder and she could feel it inside her body. There was a pleasure that was not hers, mixed with the pleasure that was hers. It was Sesshoumaru! She could actually feel him inside her and she lay still, soaking in the new sensations as he laved attention on her. Kagome was so still and intent on feeling everything that it actually worried Sesshoumaru and she could feel that too.

"Kagome?"

She dragged her blue eyes to meet his gold ones. Her smile was slow and warm against his frown. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

Kagome knew there was a link, a mental and emotional one between them now. She had done her homework on mating bonds between demons and learned that this was an extra and mostly appreciated way of being connected. She decided to test it out.

"What do _you_ think?"

Kagome pushed her happiness and new feelings through their bond that she could clearly feel and Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and then he smiled. Not smirked, not grinned, but smiled. It melted her heart and her eyes watered with the magnificence of what just took place.

Sesshoumaru bent down until his lips were a breath away from hers. "You are mine now, Kagome."

Kagome laughed. "I feel sorry for you."

He nipped at her neck. "We will see who feels sorry for whom."

It was two more days before Sesshoumaru took Kagome home and when they arrived, Shippo was in the kitchen making lunch for the children. He lifted a brow when they walked into the kitchen. It was clear to anyone what had happened and the fox demon was happy two of the people he loved finally found happiness.

"That's an awfully big smile, Kagome."

Kagome swung her head to look at her son, she hadn't even noticed him. She blushed in embarrassment. "Sesshoumaru made me awfully happy," she said with a shrug and snuggled into Sesshoumaru's arms. Her mate pressed a kiss onto her head and released her, patting her bottom as she walked away. "Go get ready to see the children, Kagome and don't make me wait long."

"Oh please," she said haughtily but with no less of a smile. "We all know you're the one that takes the longest."

Sesshoumaru let out a playful growl and Kagome yelped and laughed as she ran up the stairs to the room. His golden eyes burned after her until she was out of sight before he turned to the kit.

"Looks like things went well, Sesshoumaru."

"Things are as they should be," he answered. "I will never lose her again. Not to time, not to death, she is mine forever."

To anyone else, that would sound extremely possessive and it was such a statement but Shippo knew how much his father-in-law suffered throughout the years. Kagome's aura stretched far in the feudal era and Sesshoumaru did not remain unaffected. He had been affected beyond his knowledge and when Kagome had been forced through the well for the last time, Sesshoumaru went near mad with no understanding as to why.

His beast had finally realized who its mate was and lost her in one fell swoop. It had not been a happy five hundred and so many years. But now the problem of time had been fixed and it was just as Sesshoumaru said. Things were as they should be.

"Cherish her, Sesshoumaru. She deserves it and so do you."

Sesshoumaru turned a look on Shippo that he understood all too plainly. There was no other option for the taiyoukai. "She will never want again, material things, love, happiness, it will all be hers. This is her right as my mate." The dog demon had decided that his mate was indeed taking too long and left the kitchen in search of her. Shippo shook his head and the hole in his heart for Kagome and her loss in life was finally healed by the one demon on this planet that could restore life.

Her mate, Sesshoumaru.

**Author****'****s****Note:**Hi everyone! Sorry it took so long but at least it only took a couple months, yes? No, this is so NOT the end of the story. It does kinda read like the end would doesn't it? Well, it took me a while to develop this chapter because I was so excited for them to reach the next step that I reached it way too quickly in everything I tried. I am most satisfied with this development so it will remain this way.

Thanks for keeping up with me and this story. You are the best readers an author could ask for. Please R & R, it helps the creative juices and I like hearing your takes on where these chapters lead. It does give me ideas for future chapters so please do review!

Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hauoli Makahiki hou,

Echo Huntress


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